Russia’s ‘weaponisation’ of Ukrainian grain ‘highly likely’ a war crime

Russia is “highly likely” to be guilty of war crimes following its “systematised weaponisation” of Ukrainian grain supplies, international lawyers have found. 

Since the beginning of the war in February, a Kremlin-linked network of grain extraction has been methodically built up in occupied eastern Ukraine, pointing towards a carefully planned campaign of a “criminal nature,” said human rights law firm Global Rights Compliance (GRC) in a newly-published study.

Russia used large carrier ships purchased before the war to transport grain, seized train tracks and the local means of storage, and set up shipping operations in Ukrainian port facilities to export products into Russia, the report showed.

As a result of the war, Ukrainian grain exports have been severely disrupted, causing prices to soar and contributing to a global food security crisis.

GRC’s investigation, which was carried out between March and June 2023, said that Russia acted deliberately in seizing and controlling the grain trade in occupied areas.

“We saw a systematic approach to the way that food was being weaponised within the conflict,” said Catriona Murdoch, the lead of the GRC’s Starvation Mobile Justice Team.

“We’ve not seen anything as sophisticated as this in terms of the ability to transfer millions of tons of grain, and reroute that through occupied areas into Russia and the way that they have wielded that in terms of political pressure.” 

An estimated $1 billion worth of grain has been pillaged from Ukraine, the report said.

The report analysed open sources comprising information including photographs, videos, public statements by officials, and other digital data. 

It found that upon invasion, Russia seized grain facilities from Ukrainian corporations and private farmers, consolidating control through the Russian-affiliated civilian administration of these facilities.

The Kremlin then invested in networks to transport the grain, including roads, rail and ports. 

Global ‘havoc’ on food supplies

The report found that three 170-metre grain carrier ships were pre-purchased by a Russian defence contractor before the war, which GRC said speaks to pre-planning “on an unprecedented scale”. 

Ms Murdoch said that it was part of a “concerted plan” to both weaken the livelihoods of many Ukrainians and place “political pressure” on world leaders in relation to food shortages in vulnerable countries, like those in the Horn of Africa. 

Russian blockades of Black Sea ports have left global supplies insecure, reducing Ukraine’s ability to export grain and foodstuff to those most vulnerable. 

The Black Sea Grain Initiative marked an attempt to reintroduce exports from Ukraine to the global market, but it expired in July 2023 after Russia unilaterally refused to extend its term. 

“It has given Russia a real trump card in terms of being able to bring people to the negotiating table,” Ms Murdoch said, explaining the link to the Black Sea initiative. 

Grain extraction occurred in occupied Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia, according to the report. 

Multiple convoys were seen carrying grain towards Crimea, while GPS trackers on vehicles stolen from farmers showed them driving into Russia via Crimea. 

Rail networks were also used, along with barges that were loaded with supplies from Berdiansk Port in Zaporizhzhia, with potential destinations including Rostov-on-Don, Russia, or Kerch in Crimea. 

Job adverts posted to Telegram by Russian logistics companies, and analysed by the investigators, show they could not get enough drivers in time to transport the vast quantities of stolen Ukrainian grain to Russia.

GRC found that the first extractions of grain occurred in March 2022. 

“The scale of what we’re talking about here is something that is unprecedented because we’re talking about millions and millions of tons of grain,” Ms Murdoch said. 

“It has disrupted global food supply, creating havoc on a global scale.”

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