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Russian ship waiting for Turkey’s permit to call at port since July 1 — source

"According to our information, the ship holds 7,000 tonnes of grain," the source said

ANKARA, July 3. /TASS/. Russia’s Zhibek Zholy cargo ship, which, according to Kiev’s allegations, was carrying Ukrainian grain, has been waiting for a Turkish authorities’ permit to call at the port since July 1 but has not received it, a source in the Turkish port of Karasu told TASS on Sunday.

"The Russian cargo ship arrived in the morning on July 1 and has been waiting for a permit from the foreign ministry, the ministries of trade and of transport to call at the port and be unloaded, but has not yet received it. That is why the ship has been anchored near Karasu. According to our information, the ship holds 7,000 tonnes of grain," the source said.

Ukraine’s Ambassador to Turkey Vasily Bodnar said earlier on Sunday that a Russian-flagged cargo ship carrying Ukrainian grain had been detained at Kiev’s request by the Turkish customs authorities. He said that the ship’s fate would be decided at a meeting of investigators on July 4.

Meanwhile, a Turkish customs officer in the port of Karasu neither confirmed nor refuted Kiev’s allegations about the detention of the Russian ship.

According to the Dogan News Agency, the Russian Zhibek Zholy cargo ship delivered grain to the port of Karasu to be further transported to Konya in central Turkey by trucks.