Russia Accused of Extracting Grain and Minerals from Occupied Ukrainian Areas

Ukrainian officials and legal experts say Russia is removing grain, coal and mineral resources from areas it occupies and moving them into Russian supply chains. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy raised the issue on May 6 after receiving an intelligence briefing.

He stated that Russia plans to develop at least 18 mineral deposits in occupied southern Ukraine, including titanium, lithium, tantalum, niobium, zirconium, molybdenum and graphite.

The Ukrainian government reports that Russia is conducting geological exploration, extraction and export of raw materials. Officials also state that Moscow is preparing to seize and export this year's grain harvest from occupied areas. Ukrainian officials say the resources generate revenue for Russia, supply Russian industry and create a financial incentive to maintain control over the territories.

They add that the activity is connected to new roads, railways and ports linking the areas to Crimea and Russia.

Compliance documented Russian control of grain storage and export facilities in occupied Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia regions. The organization reported that Russian-affiliated actors re-registered facilities under Russian law and involved entities linked to the Russian state or Russian oligarchs in logistics.

Rebecca Bakos Blumenthal of Global Rights Compliance said Russian forces seized grain elevators from the first days of occupation. She stated that a logistics company linked to a sanctioned Russian defense contractor purchased three grain carriers before the full-scale invasion.

The organization assessed that the ships were sized to fit the Sevastopol grain terminal in occupied Crimea. Ukrainian estimates indicate Russia controls roughly a fifth of Ukraine's territory and a significant share of its coal and metal resources.