Russia readies Mariupol port for operations, but can Ukraine expect safe passage?

The Russian military on Friday claimed that it completed clearing mines and removing sunken ships in the Azov Sea so that the port in Mariupol could resume operation.

"At the moment, access to the waters of the western harbour is free and clean. The specialists of the Black Sea Fleet completed the task on time and unblocked the port of Mariupol so that it could function," an officer of the Russian Black Sea fleet said.

Separatist authorities said the Mariupol port would be ready to receive ships by the end of May. Six foreign cargo ships still remain in the harbour waiting to be taken to their home ports.

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The Russian Defense Ministry proposed corridors to allow foreign ships to leave ports along the Black Sea, as well as Mariupol on the Sea of Azov.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said his country was ready to agree on safe corridors in principle, but it was not sure it could trust Russia to allow safe passage.