(MENAFN) According to a Ukrainian official and a letter seen by Reuters, Ukraine has asked Turkey to hold the Russian-flagged cargo ship Zhibek Zholy, which is transporting grain confiscated from the Russian-occupied port of Berdyansk.
According to a Ukrainian foreign ministry source citing information from the country's marine administration, the Zhibek Zholy loaded the first cargo of around 4,500 tons of grain from Berdyansk, which the official claimed belonged to Ukraine.
Ukraine's prosecutor general's office separately stated in a letter dated June 30 to Turkey's justice ministry that the Zhibek Zholy was involved in the "illegal export of Ukrainian grain" from Berdyansk and was headed to Karasu, Turkey, with 7,000 tons of cargo - a larger cargo than cited by the official.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment on the arrival of the Zhibek Zholy.
The Kazakh-based KTZ Express confirmed ownership of the Zhibek Zholy, but stated it was taken on a bareboat charter by the Russian business Green Line, which was not sanctioned.
KTZ Express also stated that it was talking with all parties concerned and that it would comply with any fines and limitations.
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