During the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Russian troops in the occupied regions of Ukraine have systematically stolen grain and other products from local farmers.[1] According to the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, as of mid-May 2022, at least 400,000 tons of grain were stolen and exported from Russian-occupied Ukraine. [2][3] A study by the Kyiv School of Economics found that the Russian invasion cost Ukraine's agricultural sector $4.3 billion in destroyed equipment, damaged land and unharvested crops.[4]

As of October 2022, the widescale theft of Ukrainian grain was continuing and involved both private companies and Russian state operatives.[5] Some of the stolen grain is laundered through transfers and by mixing it with legitimate goods.[6] Financial Times identified Russian businessman Nikita Busel, general director of the government-run State Grain Operator, as one of the heads of the operation.[5]

Before 2022

For eight years, starting in 2014 and up until 2022, grain from the self-proclaimed DNR and LNR came to Russia. According to the BBC, intermediaries transported grain from Donbass farmers [to Russia], went through customs, everything was paid for by bank transfer, through Russian banks. They unloaded at the warehouses of Russian buyers, and they were already selling grain as Russian.[7]

References

  1. ↑ "Tracking where Russia is taking Ukraine's stolen grain". BBC News. 2022-06-27. Archived from the original on 2022-06-27. Retrieved 2022-06-27.
  2. ↑ Tim Lister and Sanyo Fylyppov (2022-05-12). "Russian ships carrying stolen Ukrainian grain turned away from Mediterranean ports -- but not all of them". CNN. Archived from the original on 2022-06-15. Retrieved 2022-05-19.
  3. ↑ "Ukraine says Russia stole 'several hundred thousand tonnes' of grain". Reuters. 2022-04-30. Archived from the original on 2022-05-11. Retrieved 2022-05-20.
  4. ↑ MacDonald, Alistair; Grove, Thomas (2022-06-17). "Ukraine's Farmers, Contending With Stolen Grain and Mined Fields, Now Say Land Is Being Seized". The Wall Street Journal. 0099-9660. Archived from the original on 2022-06-19. Retrieved 2022-06-20.
  5. 1 2 Ivanova, Polina; Cook, Chris; Pitel, Laura (30 October 2022). "How Russia secretly takes grain from occupied Ukraine". Financial Times. Archived from the original on 30 October 2022. Retrieved 17 November 2022.
  6. ↑ Oanh Ha, K.; Quinn, Aine; Dodge, Samuel (17 October 2022). "How Russian Ships Are Laundering Grain Stolen From Occupied Ukraine". Bloomberg. Retrieved 18 November 2022.
  7. ↑ ""Было украинское, стало русское". Кто и как вывозит из Украины зерно". BBC News Русская Служба.
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