Ukrainian wine theft

A shipment of fine Ukrainian wines destined for London was robbed near Dover this week, dealing a bitter blow to producers already working under wartime strain. Thieves stole five pallets, mainly of sparkling wine, from a lorry parked overnight at a CCTV-monitored site.

The shipment, organised by Ukrainian Wine Company UK, included wines from Kolonist, Grande Vallee and Chateau Chizay — vineyards located mainly in Odesa and Transcarpathia, far from but still affected by the Russian invasion. Some growers operate under air-raid alerts, with disrupted transport routes and labour shortages making exports especially challenging.

Brand ambassador Sera Karamshuk said the thieves “knew what they were doing”, deliberately targeting the most valuable bottles. Despite CCTV evidence, police have declined to pursue the case for lack of leads. CEO Svitlana Tsybak described the theft as “heartbreaking”, adding that every bottle represents “extraordinary effort amid extraordinary hardship.”