Russians expand Mariupol port to export stolen resources

The Russians in Mariupol are turning the port into a colonial one. To do this, they have already announced a tender for dredging the approach channel of the Coal Harbor of the Mariupol Port.

The Russians plan to select about 400 thousand cubic meters of soil in the Mariupol Port to increase the depth and allow large ships to enter the port. The cost of the work is over 441 million rubles, and the start of work is planned this year, the Center for the Study of Occupation reports.

The tender results are scheduled for April 10. According to the procurement materials, the work itself is planned to be carried out from May to October 2026.

“In fact, this is not about “port development,” as Russian propaganda presents it. This is about the final adaptation of the Mariupol Port infrastructure for the mass export of coal and other resources from the occupied territories. Increasing the depth of the canal will allow ships of larger tonnage to enter, and therefore – to increase the volume of exports of looted raw materials,” the Center for the Study of Occupation notes.

In addition, in addition to coal, Ukrainian grain is being exported from temporarily occupied Mariupol in an increased volume. According to the occupiers — the so-called Department of the State Agricultural Supervision for the “DPR” and “LPR” — since the beginning of 2026, five ships with grain that meets all the requirements of importing countries have been sent from the Mariupol port.

Thus, the Russians are strengthening the capacity of the Mariupol port to plunder temporarily occupied territories in eastern Ukraine. The port is also an important logistical component that is used for military purposes — for supplies to the front.