A joint investigation by Bellingcat and Lloyd’s List has identified Saudi Arabia as the latest country to import grain shipped directly from a Western-sanctioned port in occupied Crimea, underscoring Russia’s continued efforts to commercialize the territory while pushing for international recognition under a US-backed peace framework.
According to satellite imagery and Automated Identification System data analyzed by Lloyd’s List Intelligence, the bulk carrier Krasnodar sailed from the Avlita grain terminal in Sevastopol to Saudi Arabia twice between September and November 2025. Bellingcat confirmed that the vessel’s first voyage ended at King Abdullah Port in September, while its second delivery concluded at the port of Jazan in November.
The findings place Saudi Arabia among a growing group of states and territories, including Iran, Syria, Egypt, Turkey, Venezuela and Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, that have accepted grain Ukraine describes as looted from occupied regions. Ukrainian officials have repeatedly warned that exports from Crimean ports involve agricultural products seized following Russia’s occupation.
Investigators documented a consistent pattern in both voyages. The Krasnodar repeatedly stopped transmitting its AIS signal while near Crimea, reactivating it only when transiting international chokepoints such as the Bosphorus Strait, where ship tracking is mandatory. Satellite images show the vessel docked at berth 21 of the Avlita terminal during periods when its AIS was offline, with visible signs of loading and unloading consistent with bulk grain cargoes.
Imagery captured the ship arriving heavily laden in Saudi ports, with visible grain stockpiles near the quayside, before returning to the Black Sea with a lighter draft. On multiple occasions, the vessel again disappeared from tracking systems shortly before reappearing at the Crimean port, a practice maritime experts describe as deceptive and commonly associated with efforts to conceal sanctioned trade.
The Krasnodar is leased by the Russian grain firm Petrokhleb-Kuban, which denied any involvement in the export of grain from occupied Ukrainian territory. The company said it does not operate at the Avlita terminal and claimed the vessel was loading barley at Russia’s Port of Kavkaz, arguing that any AIS disruptions were the result of military jamming in the Black Sea due to the ongoing war.
Bellingcat disputed those claims, noting that AIS interference in the region typically affects multiple ships simultaneously and rarely lasts more than a few days. In both documented voyages, the Krasnodar was the only vessel in its vicinity to stop transmitting for extended periods. Satellite imagery reviewed by investigators showed no vessel matching the Krasnodar’s size at the Port of Kavkaz during the disputed timeframes, while multiple images confirmed its presence at Avlita.
Despite the documented activity, the vessel itself is not currently subject to live or historic sanctions, according to Lloyd’s List Intelligence. However, the ports of Sevastopol and Avlita remain under European, British and US sanctions, and most UN member states have passed resolutions condemning Russia’s occupation of Crimea.
Analysts say the shipments highlight the strategic importance of Crimea’s ports to Moscow. Since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and the subsequent occupation of additional territory in southern Ukraine, Russia has expanded supply routes that funnel grain south to Crimea for export to global markets. Once limited to small-scale shipments, the ports have become central hubs for what investigators describe as “dark” grain exports.
Ukraine has sought to discourage foreign buyers from accepting such cargoes and says it has raised the issue directly with Saudi Arabia. Alona Shkrum, Ukraine’s first deputy minister for development of communities and territories, said Kyiv had received assurances that Saudi authorities were actively countering the risks posed by shadow fleet operations and violations of international maritime law, adding that Ukraine would continue working with partners to identify and sanction vessels involved.
Neither the Saudi nor Russian foreign ministries responded to requests for comment. It remains unclear whether Saudi authorities were aware of the grain’s origin, though investigators note that the shipments followed patterns similar to Russia’s shadow oil trade, including falsified documents and deliberate obscuring of port calls.
The revelations come as Russia and the United States discuss a 28-point peace proposal that includes recognition of Crimea, Luhansk and Donetsk as de facto Russian territory. Maritime security experts say control of Crimean ports is critical to Russia’s long-term economic and strategic goals, particularly as negotiations over Ukraine’s future intensify.
Ian Ralby, chief executive of maritime security consultancy I.R. Consilium, said Russia is increasingly focused on securing port access as prospects of peace emerge. He warned that the struggle over strategic maritime assets, including Sevastopol, will remain central to the conflict’s outcome, even as diplomatic efforts advance.
