Ukraine has called on Turkey to detain the Zhibek Zholy, a cargo ship that reportedly sailed from a Russian-occupied port in Ukraine to the Turkish port of Karasu.
Marine traffic websites showed the Zhibek Zholy anchored about a kilometre off Turkey’s Black Sea port of Karasu. They also showed the ship only switching on its transponders about 12 hours before approaching Turkey.
Kyiv’s ambassador to Ankara said the ship had set sail from Ukraine’s Kremlin-occupied port of Berdyansk.
The Marinetraffic.com website said the 140-metre general cargo vessel was sailing under the Russian flag.
Bodnar last month accused Turkey of purchasing grain seized by Russia from Ukraine during its invasion.
Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said last week that Ankara was investigating reports of Russian-seized Ukrainian grain reaching its Black Sea shores.
But he added that Turkey had been unable to find any stolen Ukrainian grain shipments to date.
The head of the Russia-installed administration in the occupied region of southeastern Ukraine on Thursday announced the opening of a new route across the Black Sea from Berdyansk.
Evgeny Balitsky said on Telegram, “After numerous months of delay, the first merchant ship has left the Berdyansk commercial port, 7,000 tonnes of grain are heading toward friendly countries.”
Marinetraffic.com said the Zhibek Zholy was capable of carrying slightly more than 7,000 tonnes of cargo.
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