Ukraine War
Ukraine has accused Russia of stealing and exporting grain to other countries from areas under its occupation. In July, Kyiv said a US-sanctioned Syrian cargo ship ‘Laodicea’ that docked in Lebanon was carrying stolen Ukrainian grain. Moscow denied the allegations and Lebanon’s prosecutor general also allowed the ship to unload. Now, a probe by Associated Press (AP) and the PBS series “Frontline” claims the Laodicea was a part of Russian-smuggling ring. Russia has allegedly used three dozen such ships to steal Ukrainian grain worth at least $530 million. According to AP, the money from selling the stolen grain has helped finance Putin’s war in Ukraine.
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