Ukraine Seeks EU Sanctions Over Alleged Stolen Wheat

Ukraine is set to call on the European Union to impose sanctions on Bangladeshi entities it claims are importing wheat stolen from Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories. Kyiv made the move after repeated diplomatic warnings to Dhaka reportedly failed to halt the alleged trade.

Ukrainian officials allege that Russia has long mixed grain taken from occupied Ukrainian regions with its own and exported it through Russian ports. Documents shared with authorities in Bangladesh reportedly detail shipments totalling over 150,000 tonnes, sent between November 2024 and June 2025 via the Russian port of Kavkaz.

Ukraine’s ambassador to India, Oleksandr Polishchuk, said, “It’s a crime. We will present our findings to EU partners and request appropriate measures.”

Ukraine has accused Russia of stealing grain since occupying parts of southern Ukraine in 2014. Russia denies wrongdoing, arguing the territories are now part of Russia.

Bangladesh’s food ministry maintains that the country does not import wheat from occupied Ukrainian regions and has barred such shipments.

However, letters sent to Bangladesh warned of “serious consequences,” including sanctions targeting not just importing firms but also government officials deemed to be enabling the trade.

The EU spokesperson confirmed that none of the vessels cited are currently sanctioned, but added that proven involvement in transporting stolen Ukrainian grain could lead to future restrictive measures.

The occupied Ukrainian territories, excluding Crimea, accounted for around 3% of Russia’s total grain harvest in 2024. Bangladesh ranked as the fourth-largest importer of Russian wheat in May.

Ukraine says ensuring the traceability of grain is difficult, especially as it is blended at Russian ports. “These are not diamonds or gold,” said one Russian trader. “You can’t tell where the grain came from once it's loaded.”

Kyiv continues to pursue accountability through diplomatic channels, aiming to protect its agricultural assets from illegal trade.