First foreign cargo ship departs port of Mariupol
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The Turkish Azov Concord is set for sail.
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The Azov Concord
On Tuesday, the first foreign cargo ship left the Mariupol port, according to Russian media.
According to TASS, the Turkish Azov Concord began its journey to the Russian city of Novorossiyk without cargo.
Ivan Babenkov, the captain of the vessel, said the ship was repaired after damage caused by the Ukrainian military. A new ship crew was also recruited.
Read more: Ukrainian troops burn wheat and grains as they leave Mariupol
The ship was supposed to depart the port on June 18, 2022, as the crew waited readily for permission from customs and border services.
The Bulgarian Tasrevna, one of the five other vessels in the harbor, will most likely be sailing next as technical preparation and paperwork are underway.
Russia announces liberation of Mariupol
In April, President Vladimir Putin celebrated Russia's liberation of Mariupol after Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu informed him that Moscow controlled the Ukrainian port city.
In a televised meeting, Putin said the liberation of Mariupol was a "success" for Russian forces but ordered Shoigu to call off the planned storming of the Azovstal industrial area, dismissing it as "impractical".
"There is no need to climb into these catacombs and crawl underground through these industrial facilities. Block off this industrial area so that not even a fly can escape," Putin said.
