Doha: Ukraine's intelligence service announced the seizure of a foreign commercial vessel allegedly linked to Russia's so-called shadow fleet in the Black Sea, accusing it of illegally transporting grain from Crimea.

According to Qatar News Agency, Ukrainian authorities stated that the ship was used in late 2024 to export 5,000 tons of wheat from Sevastopol port located in Crimea, which was annexed by Russia in 2014. The vessels in the Russian shadow fleet are reportedly used by Moscow to evade Western sanctions, including the oil price cap.

The ship, which was flying the flag of an unnamed Asian country, was intercepted in Ukrainian territorial waters in the Black Sea. Authorities have not disclosed the current status of the crew or any legal proceedings that might be underway.

Russia continues to control nearly one-fifth of Ukrainian territory. Kyiv considers any trade from areas outside its control in its territorial waters illegal and routinely detains vessels involved in such activities.