Turkey halts Russian ship, investigates Ukrainian claims

ANKARA: Turkey has halted a Russian-flagged cargo ship off its Black Beach and is investigating a Ukrainian declare that it was carrying stolen grain, a senior Turkish official stated on Monday.
Ukraine’s ambassador to Turkey stated on Sunday the Zhibek Zholy was detained by Turkish customs authorities. Ukraine had beforehand requested Ankara to detain it, in accordance with an official and paperwork seen by Reuters.
Kyiv has accused Moscow of stealing grain from the territories that Russian forces have seized since their invasion started in late February. The Kremlin has beforehand denied that Russia has stolen any Ukrainian grain.
“Upon request, the ship named Zhibek Zholy was halted off Karasu (port),” a senior official stated. “The allegations are being investigated totally. It isn’t written on the grain who it belongs to.”
He stated Turkey was in touch with Russia, the United Nations and third events relating to the problem.
On Sunday, Reuters reporters noticed the ship anchored about 1 km from the shore and out of doors of the Karasu port in northwest Turkey’s Sakarya province. On the time there have been no apparent indicators of motion aboard or by different vessels close by.
Ukrainian Ambassador Vasyl Bodnar had stated on Ukrainian nationwide tv that the ship’s destiny can be determined by a gathering of investigators on Monday and that Ukraine hoped for the confiscation of the grain.
A Ukrainian international ministry official, citing info from Ukraine’s maritime administration, advised Reuters on Friday the 7,146 dwt Zhibek Zholy had loaded the primary cargo of some 4,500 tonnes of Ukrainian grain from Berdyansk, a Russian-occupied port in south Ukraine.