The Kremlin is planning to increase the share of stolen grain from the occupied oblasts of Ukraine in Russia’s total harvest, as this year Russia itself will collect only a limited harvest due to drought, sanctions, and limited access to machinery, while grain sales in June already dropped by 34.5%.

Source : Center for Countering Disinformation (CCD) under Ukraine’s National Security and Defence Council

Details:CCD reported that in 2023 and 2024, grain from the occupied oblasts of Ukraine made up about 3% of Russia’s total harvest.

Quote:"The Kremlin continues to illegally export grain from temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, integrating it into its own export system. According to estimates by the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine, since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Russia has appropriated about 15 million tonnes of Ukrainian grain, and this figure is currently increasing." 

Details:The centre reported that grain is being seized from farmers at artificially low prices in the Russian-occupied part of Zaporizhzhia Oblast. Even the smallest portions of the harvest, which should be reserved for the region’s own needs and sowing, are being transported to ports in Rostov-on-Don.

The Ukrainian crop is mixed with Russian grain and then exported, making it more difficult to trace and enabling the aggressor state to bypass sanctions.

Background:The role of Ukrainian territories occupied by Moscow in Russia's agricultural sector is increasing. For example, in Luhansk this year, the harvest is expected to double: last year, the occupied region produced half a million tonnes of grain, and next year, authorities plan to collect a million.

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