Sweden Seizes Ship Suspected of Carrying Stolen Ukrainian Grain

Swedish authorities seized a cargo ship suspected of operating under a false flag and transporting stolen Ukrainian grain off the southern coast of the country on Friday, escalating efforts to curb Russia's shadow fleet amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.

The 96-meter vessel, named Caffa and built in 1997, was intercepted in territorial waters near Trelleborg while en route from Casablanca, Morocco, to St. Petersburg, Russia. The Swedish Coast Guard, supported by armed police and a helicopter from the National Task Force, boarded the ship without incident. Officials determined the ship's Guinean registration was invalid, classifying it as stateless under international maritime law, which allowed for the intervention.

"The vessel is on the Ukraine sanctions list," said Daniel Stenling, acting head of operations for the Coast Guard, during a press conference on Saturday. "Information indicates that it has essentially been used to transport grain that is stolen, as we understand it, from Ukraine." Investigators have launched a preliminary probe into violations of maritime safety regulations, focusing on the ship's seaworthiness. One crew member is under specific investigation for...