Russian warship arrives in Mariupol port for first time since occupation - Ukrainian official

Advisor to the mayor of Mariupol, Petro Andriushchenko, reported the information.

According to him, the port of Mariupol has thus become a military base. 

An hour before the Russian ship docked there, four combat helicopters of different classes landed in the port. According to Andriushchenko, they stayed in the port until the evening.

The mayor's advisor added that it is not yet known whether this was a one-time mooring of a Russian warship or whether this phenomenon will become a systemic one. However, Andriushchenko noted that the ship was definitely moored in a completely different place from the one announced by the Russian authorities.

"If it is a permanent base, then a lot of questions arise. These questions span from understanding the threats the ship is meant to counter, to assessing the threat in the near future regarding a new battle for Mariupol," he emphasized.

• Earlier, the advisor to the mayor of Mariupol said that Russian forces were retreating and building the first serious line of defense near the city.