The Ministry of Foreign Affairs called for sanctions against Russia over the use of the ports of Mariupol and Berdyansk

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine condemned the order of the Russian government, which “opened” the seaports of temporarily occupied Mariupol and Berdyansk for the entry of foreign vessels.

This is stated on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.

“We consider such actions as another attempt by Russia to legalize its occupation and consolidate illegal control over Ukrainian territories,” the ministry emphasized.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted that in this regard, Ukraine calls on its partners to introduce additional tough sanctions against all Russian individuals and legal entities, foreign companies, in the event of their involvement in commercial activities in the seaports of Berdyansk and Mariupol, as well as vessels that will enter ports in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine.

“We call on the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to urgently draw the attention of all member states to the need to strictly comply with the provisions of IMO Assembly Resolution A.1183(33) of December 4, 2023 “Impact of the Russian armed invasion of Ukraine on international shipping”, which calls on member states to inform vessels flying their flag, shipowners, operators and insurance brokers of the need to refrain from violating the regime of closed seaports in the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine”, the commentary states. At the same time, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs calls on the IMO to recommend to member states, within their national jurisdiction and international obligations, to take appropriate measures against vessels that violate the specified regime.

The ministry stressed that Russia’s gross violation of international law regarding closed ports on the territory of Ukraine’s territorial waters requires an adequate response from the international community regarding ports on the territory of the Russian Federation, “in particular, those involved in the functioning of the Russian military machine” – and the introduction of tough sanctions against them.

In particular, the Russian Federation’s decision violates fundamental norms and principles of international law: the UN Charter, which enshrines the principle of sovereignty of states and the prohibition of interference in their internal affairs; the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, which establishes that the regulation of navigation in the territorial waters of Ukraine falls exclusively within its competence; and UN General Assembly resolutions that confirm Ukraine’s sovereignty over all territories within its internationally recognized borders and strongly condemn the ongoing Russian aggression.

As previously reported by USM, on August 25, 2025, it became known that the Russian Federation had “opened” the ports of Mariupol and Berdyansk for the entry of foreign vessels.