Ukraine's largest steelmaker has urged customers not to buy any products made at its plants in Mariupol because it fears they may have been stolen by Russian forces occupying the southern city.
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Metinvest said in a statement that more than 234,000 tons of steel products manufactured by its Ilyich Steel and Azovstal factories had been in storage in Mariupol when Russia's invasion of Ukraine began on Feb. 24.
The two plants have not cooperated with Russian representatives since Russian and separatist forces took full control of Mariupol in May, it said.
Russian forces have blockaded Ukrainian ports in the Back and Azov seas, preventing Azovstal and Ilyich Steel from exporting products to clients in Europe and the Middle East. But ships loaded with grain and metals will leave Mariupol soon, a pro-Russian separatist leader said last week.
"Metinvest enterprises have underlined that there is a high probability of theft and smuggling of Ukrainian steel products," Metinvest said in a statement.
