Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy threatened sanctions against Israel on Tuesday after a Panama-flagged bulk carrier carrying grain from Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory anchored off Haifa, with AIS tracking data showing GPS spoofing patterns along the vessel’s route from the Russian port of Novorossiysk.
The vessel, the Panormitis, entered Haifa Bay on April 26 carrying approximately 6,200 tonnes of wheat and 19,000 tonnes of barley. Pole Star Global’s AIS analysis documented GPS disruption patterns along the Novorossiysk-Haifa corridor consistent with shadow fleet concealment tactics used to mask a cargo’s origin.
In any normal country, purchasing stolen goods is an act that entails legal liability. This applies, in particular, to grain stolen by Russia. Another vessel carrying such grain has arrived at a port in Israel and is preparing to unload. This is not – and cannot be – legitimate…
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) April 28, 2026
“In any normal country, purchasing stolen goods is an act that entails legal liability,” Zelenskyy wrote on X. Ukraine summoned Israel’s ambassador on Tuesday and said it had exhausted all closed diplomatic channels before going public. Zelenskyy said Ukraine was preparing coordinated sanctions targeting those transporting the grain and “individuals and legal entities attempting to profit from this criminal scheme.”
Friendly Ukrainian-Israeli relations have the potential to benefit both countries, and Russia’s illegal trade with stolen Ukrainian grain should not undermine them.
It is difficult to understand Israel’s lack of appropriate response to Ukraine’s legitimate request regarding the…
— Andrii Sybiha 🇺🇦 (@andrii_sybiha) April 27, 2026
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar called Ukraine’s approach “Twitter diplomacy,” arguing that no formal evidence had been submitted before the public campaign began.
Dear Minister,
Diplomatic relations, especially between friendly nations, are not conducted on Twitter or in the media.Allegations are not evidence.
Evidence substantiating the allegations have yet to be provided.
You did not even submit a request for legal assistance before… https://t.co/3pWztyRMyk— Gideon Sa’ar | גדעון סער (@gidonsaar) April 27, 2026
An Israeli official told CNN that under an established mutual legal assistance protocol, Ukraine’s attorney general must submit a formal request and coordinate with Israeli police before any vessel can be halted.
The European Commission warned that Brussels was “ready to target such actions by listing individuals and entities in third countries if necessary.” EU-level sanctions require unanimity among all 27 member states, a threshold historically difficult to secure on Israel-related measures.
An investigation published Sunday by the Israeli newspaper Haaretz documented more than 30 grain deliveries from Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory to Israel since 2023, with at least four completed in 2026.
MarineTraffic data showed the Panormitis still anchored in Haifa Bay as of Wednesday. Its cargo still aboard, as Sa’ar said the vessel would be “examined” under Israeli law.
