What Crew Members Say About Asomatos

On May 5, 2026, Ukraine's Foreign Minister issued a strong condemnation of Egypt for permitting the bulk carrier 'Asomatos' to unload what is believed to be looted Ukrainian wheat at Abu Qir. This incident has heightened an ongoing diplomatic dispute, with Kyiv alleging that Russia is orchestrating a scheme to launder pilfered agricultural goods through Egyptian waters. The 'Asomatos' docked at Abu Qir on April 28, 2026, to offload an alarming 26,900 tons of wheat, despite Ukraine's appeal for Egypt to intercept the vessel just four days prior. This event marks the fourth occurrence of what Ukraine describes as 'Russia's grain laundering operations' taking place in Egyptian ports since April. The Ukrainian Prosecutor General has already acted, sending a formal request for legal assistance to Egypt's Ministry of Justice and detailing grounds to seize the ship and its cargo before it arrived. The grain in question was exported by Agro-Frigat, a company under sanctions, through Russian-occupied Crimea, contravening international law. Historically, Ukraine has been a vital wheat supplier to Egypt, one of the globe's largest grain importers.