Russia has declared the occupied Berdiansk and Mariupol “open” to foreign vessels, including them in the official list of its ports. The decision was signed by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin on August 25.
According to the Center for Transportation Strategies, this is intended to increase the export of stolen Ukrainian grain, metal, and coal from the occupied territories of Donbas and Zaporizhzhia.
Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry strongly condemned the move, calling it null and void and viewing it as an attempt to legalize the occupation and consolidate illegal control over Ukrainian territories. It emphasized that Russia’s actions grossly violate international law – the UN Charter, the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, and General Assembly resolutions.
Ukraine called on its partners to impose new sanctions against Russian and foreign companies and vessels that will cooperate with these ports. Kyiv also appealed to the International Maritime Organization to remind states of their obligation to comply with resolution A.1183(33), which prohibits calls to closed ports in the occupied territories.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized that the world must respond adequately and impose sanctions on the Russian port infrastructure that serves the Kremlin’s military machine. At the same time, experts warn that the use of Mariupol and Berdiansk as “legal” sea gates could become another channel for the supply of weapons and military supplies, increasing security threats in the Black Sea and Azov regions.