Russia plans to escalate its illegal export of Ukrainian grain from the occupied Donetsk region by constructing seven new grain elevators. Each storage facility will have a capacity of 20,000 tonnes, allowing Moscow to further exploit Ukrainian resources while residents in occupied areas struggle with economic hardship. The National Resistance Center (CNS) has reported that Russian forces are already holding approximately 165,000 tonnes of stolen Ukrainian grain in occupied Donetsk, which they intend to sell abroad.
The grain is being transported through occupied Luhansk via rail to the Caspian Sea, where it is shipped to Iran and potentially other markets. This illegal operation is part of a broader Russian effort to profit from stolen Ukrainian agricultural goods. The CNS has condemned the move, stating that while the Kremlin reaps financial benefits, Ukrainians in occupied regions are left in worsening conditions.
This is not the first instance of Russian authorities manipulating the agricultural sector in occupied areas. A forced grain purchase scheme has already been uncovered in the occupied Kherson region, where Ukrainian farmers are made to sell their produce at reduced prices. The Kremlin provides subsidies to selected farms, ensuring their dependence on Russian-controlled economic structures. These tactics are aimed at deepening Russia’s control over Ukraine’s occupied lands, stripping them of economic independence, and further exploiting the country’s resources.
