SV.NIKOLAY

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SV Nikolaiy under suspicion to carry grain looted by Russia in the Ukraine

The 'SV Nikolay' entered the port of Izmir on June 24, 2022, with a cargo of grain loaded at Kavkaz on June 18, according to documentation provided by an employee of the Russian company that owns the ship. An analysis of satellite imagery, ship-tracking data and open-source photos and videos yielded a different port of origin for the 'SV Nikolay'. On June 18, the analysis of a satellite image indicates, the ship was docked at the main grain terminal in Crimea, seized by Russia. The reconstruction of the vessel’s voyage comes as Kyiv officials alleged that Ukrainian grain from territory recently occupied by Russia is being stolen amid the Ukraine-Russia war and then exported via Crimea to places such as Turkey and Syria. The 'SV Nikolay' is among vessels Ukrainian authorities believe are exporting what they describe as “looted” grain. Moscow has denied stealing Ukrainian grain. The 'SV Nikolay'’s tracking system was offline for days around the date in question, making it difficult to determine the ship’s location, which was a tactic vessels are using to conceal visits to Crimea, along with the use of documents that falsely identify the grain as loaded in Port Kavkaz.