russian troops are trying to partially renovate the port in the occupied city of Mariupol, which will further allow the theft of Ukrainian metal and grain left there.
As of February 23 the port contained nearly 200,000 tons of metal and сast iron with an aggregate value of $170 million. In storage there were 3.4 thousand tons of grain and another 9,000 tons on vessels under foreign control, Igor Barsky, director of the Mariupol Merchant Sea Port, said in a comment to the EP.
The occupiers have now unlocked the port's old gates, but russian vessels will not be able to enter until the water area is cleared of sunken vessels. According to Barskyy, the occupiers can clear 3-4 terminals out of 18.
It requires electricity, but the port substation is damaged. Therefore, the occupiers are not able to load the ships with Ukrainian property.
"However, there is one undamaged autonomous floating crane in the port, which operates on diesel fuel - it can be used to export stolen Ukrainian metal. Russian occupiers are now repairing important equipment needed for this purpose. In addition, there is information that russians want to establish their occupation "administration" of the port," the journalists said.
We would like to point out that the occupiers sent several ships to the bottom, including civilian vessels, in the port of Mariupol. The ships sank.