Israel reportedly told Ukraine on Thursday that it was too late to act against a Russian vessel accused of carrying stolen Ukrainian grain, as the ship had already departed Haifa Port.

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar sent a message to his Ukrainian counterpart saying the vessel can no longer be detained, Channel 12 news and Axios reporter Barak Ravid said. The reporter said Israel had been aware of it two weeks before it arrived.

Ravid quoted senior Ukrainian officials as saying that they made clear to Israel they were demanding the confiscation of the wheat cargo.

The development came after Ukraine on Tuesday accused Israel of allowing the Russian ship ABINSK — allegedly loaded with grain taken from Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory — to dock in Haifa.

Kyiv had urged Israel to block the vessel before it docked, with Ukrainian Ambassador Yevgen Korniychuk raising the issue with Israeli officials and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha discussing it directly with Sa’ar.

The Kyiv Post noted on Wednesday that the Haifa Port serves as a regional hub for imports and exports, particularly with shipping disrupted in the Gulf amid the Iran war, and that it was therefore unclear whether the grain was meant for an Israeli domestic market or was to be shipped........

© The Times of Israel