Ukraine Detains Cargo Ship Captain Over Alleged Illegal Voyages To Occupied Crimea

Ukrainian authorities have charged the captain of a cargo ship detained in Odesa in December 2025 for allegedly sailing to ports in occupied Crimea and breaching entry rules.

The captain, a citizen of a Middle Eastern country, has been informed of suspicion under Part 2 of Article 332-1 of Ukraine’s Criminal Code. If found guilty, he could face up to five years in prison.

The case is being handled by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) under the supervision of the Prosecutor’s Office of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol.

The vessel was stopped at the Odesa seaport while it was preparing to export a shipment of steel pipes under the flag of an African country.

During searches on board, investigators found voyage plans, pilot cards, maps and radio communication logs. Authorities said these documents showed the ship had earlier entered ports in occupied Crimea.

According to the investigation, the vessel had visited Sevastopol at least seven times before the full-scale war.

During those calls, it was involved in exporting agricultural cargo. In January 2021, it carried nearly 7,000 tonnes of grain from Crimea to North Africa.

Investigators also said the same captain later operated a sanctioned gas tanker. In late 2024, that vessel entered the port of Kerch, where about 2,000 tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas were loaded for delivery to other countries.

Authorities believe the captain tried to hide these voyages by changing the vessel’s name and flag and by switching off the Automatic Identification System (AIS), which is used to track ships.

They said such methods are commonly used by vessels linked to the so-called “shadow fleet” to avoid sanctions and monitoring.

The ship detained in Odesa was identified by Lloyd’s as the Gladius, a 7,900-deadweight-tonne vessel that had sailed under the flag of Guinea-Bissau. Ukrainian officials, however, said they believe it is controlled by Russian interests.

There were 16 other crew members on board at the time of detention, all reported to be citizens of Middle Eastern countries. Authorities have not confirmed their current status.

Ukraine said the vessel had previously been used to transport cargo from occupied territories, including agricultural goods.

It also reported that during the latest investigation, more evidence confirmed the captain’s involvement in entering blocked Crimean ports and exporting cargo.

After the detention, authorities said the ship could be handed over to Ukraine’s asset management agency, which has earlier received court approval to sell seized vessels.

The investigation is ongoing, and officials continue to examine the ship’s past operations and links to sanction evasion.

References: usm, shippingtelegraph