Lithuania has strengthened control over the import of grain from Russia, the occupied territories of Ukraine and other high-risk countries. Such a decision was made after information from the Minister of Agriculture of Ukraine Mykola Solskyi that Russia is profiting from the export of grain from the occupied Ukrainian territories to third countries.
This is stated on the website of the Ministry of Agriculture of Lithuania.
Lithuania included Russia, the occupied territories of Ukraine, Belarus, unrecognized Transnistria, and the occupied regions of Georgia — Abkhazia and South Ossetia — among the high-risk countries. From March 18, Lithuania will take a sample of grain from each wagon or vehicle with imported fodder grain from these countries.
This is just one of Lithuaniaʼs steps. Next, the origin of the grain transported through the country will be checked.
"Russia should not have the opportunity to use Lithuanian infrastructure and profit from the sale of Ukrainian grain," Lithuanian Agriculture Minister Kyastutis Navickas said.
- The Associated Press agency wrote in early October 2022 that Russia had exported at least $530 million worth of grain from Ukraine since the start of the full-scale invasion. At the same time, the journalists received Russian documents that indicated that Russia planned to export almost 1.8 million tons of stolen grain from the occupied territories of Ukraine by the end of the year.
- The American report on the impact of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on food security states that during 2022, Russia stole and exported almost 6 million tons of grain from the occupied territories of Ukraine.