Turkey has detained a Russian cargo ship carrying alleged Ukrainian grain, Kyiv's ambassador to Turkey Vasyl Bodnar said on July 3.
"We have full cooperation. The ship is currently standing at the entrance to the port. A meeting of investigators on July 4 will decide the fate of the ship. Our request has been forwarded and we hope that the vessel will be arrested, the property confiscated and everyone involved will be prosecuted", – the ambassador said.
Earlier Ukraine has requested Turkey to detain the Russian-flagged cargo ship Zhibek Zholy carrying grain taken from the Russian-occupied port of Berdyansk, Reuters informed.
In a letter dated June 30 to Turkey’s justice ministry, Ukraine’s prosecutor general’s office said separately that the Zhibek Zholy was involved in the “illegal export of Ukrainian grain” from Berdyansk and headed to Karasu, Turkey, with 7 thsd tonnes of cargo.
Kazakh-based KTZ Express confirmed the Zhibek Zholy was owned by the company but said it was taken under a bareboat charter by Russian company Green Line, which was not designated under any sanctions.