Mariupol port (Photo: SE Mariupol Commercial Sea Port / Facebook)

In 2025, Russia intensified the use of the temporarily occupied Mariupol seaport, presenting it as "restoration". However, in reality, it is the misappropriation of Ukrainian infrastructure and its inclusion in the logistics system of the aggressor state, said The Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine.

At the same time, the occupation authorities are replacing Ukrainian standards with Russian ones, effectively erasing Ukrainian jurisdiction. The decision to open the port to foreign vessels is seen as an attempt to create the illusion of "legality" and circumvent international sanctions.

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The intelligence notes that the occupiers are planning to deepen the canal and expand cargo transshipment. This confirms Russia's intention to turn Mariupol into a key logistics hub for the temporarily occupied territories.

Against this background, the social situation in the city continues to deteriorate. According to the SZR, school meals have been suspended in Mariupol due to lack of funding from the occupation administration.

Residents of the city have been waiting for years for the promised housing. Instead of compensation for the destroyed houses, expensive mortgage high-rise buildings are being built that are unaffordable for most Mariupol residents.

There is also a simplified procedure for confiscating so-called "ownerless" housing. Apartments are being massively confiscated from owners who have died, left the city, or lost their documents.

In addition, Mariupol is used as a military training ground for Russian personnel. According to the SZR, the occupation authorities say to wait for appeals and complaints from local residents.

The Service emphasizes that for Russia, Mariupol is not a city or a community, but a trophy and a consumable resource that is exploited under the guise of statements about "restoration."

  • In December 2025, Russia conducted festive events dedicated to the so-called "reopening" of the theater in Mariupol, where civilians were killed. The events were accompanied by dances, concerts and celebrations. The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs called is "deliberate terror".