UN Supplier in Turkey Linked to Purchases of Grain Stolen from Mariupol

The Turkish company Erisler, a supplier for the UN World Food Programme, is buying stolen Ukrainian grain from temporarily occupied Mariupol from the Russian firm “Nika,” whose owners also manufacture drones for the Russian army.

This was reported by Ukrainska Pravda.

According to Slidstvo.Info investigation, between 2023 and 2024, the Russian company “Nika” shipped over 54,000 tons of wheat from occupied Mariupol to Turkey.

Investigators have established that the owner of the firm “Nika” is Russian businessman Roman Gurov. He is also the CEO of the sanctioned company “Roboavia,” which produces “Sarych” reconnaissance drones and “Surprise” attack drones for the Russian occupying army.

According to Russian customs data, in 2023 “Nika” exported wheat worth $3.7 million to Turkey and Egypt, and in 2024 this volume nearly quadrupled — to 59,500 tons valued at $12.9 million.

All product compliance declarations from July 2022 to early 2026 indicate that the company’s production facilities are located in occupied Mariupol.

Customs declarations indicate that the recipient of the grain in Turkey is the company Global Commodities and Logistics Limited; however, the end recipient of part of the shipment was the firm Erisler. The Turkish company produces flour and instant noodles, which are also sold in Ukraine.

Journalists established that a laboratory analysis of one batch of wheat received by Erisler in April 2024 was conducted by the Ukrainian branch of the international company Cotecna in Odesa.

“Cotecna categorically denies any allegations regarding the provision of services related to agricultural products exported from areas of Ukraine not under government control, including Mariupol,” the company’s Geneva office stated in response to journalists’ inquiries.

In June 2022, Ukraine’s ambassador to Turkey, Vasyl Bodnar, stated that Russia was exporting stolen Ukrainian grain from occupied territories to Turkey using forged documents, making the cargo appear as “Russian.”

In August 2025, Reuters, citing the Ukrainian government, reported that since the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022, Russia had stolen around 15 million tons of Ukrainian grain.

According to Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service, in 2025 alone, the volume of stolen agricultural products exceeded 2 million tons.

EMPR