Ukraine's troubles with Mariupol

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Ed Butler reports from Mariupol port in eastern Ukraine. The port has lost a third of its fleet and up to 140,000 tonnes of exported metal products a month since Russia's construction of a bridge across the Kerch Strait in May 2018, and restrictions on the size of ships that can pass underneath. Cargo vessels are being delayed by up to a week, and the cranes on the dock stand idle. Larger international shipping firms have simply stopped coming. Hundreds of jobs depend on the work here - Mariupol is Ukraine's second port - and local businesses are desperate for the blockade to be lifted. But that is not the only problem - corruption and proximity the front line create a whole host of issues. Mariupol was at the eye of the storm when Russian-backed rebels launched an armed struggle against the Ukrainian government five years ago.The airport connecting the city with the rest of the country has been shut ever since. This programme was produced by Anna Noryskiewicz PHOTO: The bridge from Russia to annexed Crimea opened in May and heightened tensions with Ukraine. Getty Images