On board, pirates of a new kind.
For the past few months, Russian ships have been leaving Sevastopol, the hold filled with the spoils of war, according to Ukraine.
These "bulk carriers" made to transport grain would be overflowing with wheat stolen from local farmers.
Contraband of war?
Many elements support this thesis, now defended by Westerners.
Explanations.
What do Ukraine and Westerners say?
For Ukraine, there is no doubt.
In addition to blocking exports of raw materials, in the occupied territories the Russians would force farmers to "sell their grain for nothing" or "simply confiscate the stock of grain and seeds in warehouses", the Ukrainian parliament has claimed. in a press release published on June 3.
Read alsoWar in Ukraine: wheat, Vladimir Putin's other weapon
On Monday, the head of American diplomacy Antony Blinken deemed these assertions "credible".
And on May 13, 2022, the German Minister of Agriculture had already convinced himself of this on the sidelines of a G7 meeting: "Russia is stealing and confiscating goods and cereals in eastern Ukraine", had- he declares.
What are the Westerners basing themselves on?
According to Ukrainian officials, a large part of the looted grain transits by truck to ports controlled by Russia, in particular Sevastopol, occupied since 2014. Numerous amateur and satellite photos confirm the presence of these convoys.
Faced with these accusations, on May 30, 2022, the deputy head of the Russian authorities occupying the city of Kherson admitted to moving wheat, but assures that he is in order.
Farmers refute.
According to SeaKrime, a Ukrainian investigative group, some boats turn off their transponders in the Sea of Azov to avoid revealing where they are departing from.
A dozen boats were still identified.
The strongest presumptions are based on three ships: the Matros Koshka, the Matros Pozynich and the Mikhail Nenashev.
They multiply the round trips from Sevastopol to the Bosphorus Strait and regularly change course.
Sign of the doubt of potential buyers?
What is the scale of the phenomenon?
The war prevents any final assessment.
According to the Ukrainian parliament, "Russia has already looted about 500,000 tons of grain worth 100 million dollars from Ukraine" on May 16, 2022. The United Nations is counting on 700,000 tons instead.
Sunflower oil and Ukrainian agricultural machinery would also be affected.
This is little compared to the 20 to 25 million tonnes of Ukrainian wheat blocked in the ports of the Sea of Azov, but this raw material is very expensive.
Prices exploded with the war.
And the situation could change with the capture of the main export port, Mariupol, and the shelling of the East which concentrates 40% of local production.
Who could buy this loot?
In mid-May Washington warned 14, mostly African, countries that Russian cargo ships were transporting "stolen Ukrainian grain", reports the New York Times.
40% of wheat in Africa came from Russia or Ukraine before the war and a major drought hits the East.
Difficult to do without Russian exports, even in case of doubt.
Russia also appears to be selling to Syria.
Satellite images show the Matros Pozynich ship docking in the port of Latakia.
The Matros Pozynich, in the port of Latakia in Syria on May 29, 2022 Reuters/Planet Labs PBC
How does Turkey, the main checkpoint on the wheat route, react?
On Friday, Ukraine's ambassador to Turkey called on authorities to investigate the source of grain transported by Russia.
Turkish waters are an important gateway to international waters.
Seeing itself as a mediating power, Turkey refuses to directly incriminate Russia.
The country wants to be the guarantor of a "grain corridor" to world markets to empty Ukrainian stocks blocked by Russia.
