Ukraine has recently submitted documents to the court seeking the prosecution of Mykola Telegin, a 54-year-old captain of a Russian cargo ship named Metros Pozich. This ship is known for transporting wheat that Ukraine considers to be stolen.
Details of the Charges Against the Captain
The charges against Telegin relate to the period from 2022 to 2024 and include managing and organizing the movement of wheat shipments from the port of Sevastopol to Syria. The shipments include 27,000 tons of wheat from the Donetsk region identified in November 2022 and another 27,300 tons in January 2023. This wheat has been transferred to the port of Latakia in Syria.
The Security Service of Ukraine has raised these charges against Captain Telegin after a lengthy investigation. They claim that he was aware of the hostile situation between Russia and Ukraine during the transport of these shipments and deliberately presented them as Russian wheat.
Sanctions and International Consequences
The Metros Pozich, built in 2010, has been operating under the flag and ownership of Russia since 2022. This ship has been identified during its operations in Sevastopol, Syria, Egypt, and Turkey. The European Union sanctioned this ship in December 2025, and Ukraine, Canada, and Switzerland have also imposed similar sanctions on it.
Reports indicate that the Metros Pozich loaded 27,500 tons of wheat from the Avlita grain terminal in Crimea in April 2023 and headed towards Latakia. In this case, the shipment was disguised as if it had come from Iskenderun, Turkey.
In the past, Ukraine has seized several smaller ships accused of transporting wheat and other materials from Crimea and prosecuted their captains. The country has also attempted to seize larger ships in other countries and has succeeded in some cases.
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