Ukraine crisis | Separatists to nationalise ships in Mariupol

Separatists in eastern Ukraine who control Donetsk said some ships will come under the jurisdiction of the Donetsk People's Republic

The leader of Russia-backed separatists who control part of Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region says his administration will nationalise some of the ships in the port of Mariupol.

Denis Pushilin was quoted by Russian state news agency RIA Novosti on Tuesday as saying that “some of the vessels will come under the jurisdiction of the Donetsk People's Republic. The relevant decisions have been made.”

It wasn't immediately clear whether he was referring to Ukrainian vessels or ships from other countries.

Kyiv has accused Russia of blocking its sea ports and hindering grain exports, fuelling a global food crisis. Moscow has sought to pin the blame on the West and the sanctions it imposed on Russia.

Russian forces encircled Mariupol, a strategic port city on the Azov Sea, early in the war.

They took full control of it this month after capturing nearly 2,500 Ukrainian fighters who had been holed up in the sprawling Azovstal steel mill, the last remaining pocket of Ukrainian resistance.

After securing a compromise overnight to slap an embargo on most Russian oil imports, European Union leaders will focus Tuesday on how to help Ukraine export millions of tons of grain blocked by the war.