Poroshenko promises to launch airport and Intercity in Mariupol

President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenk instructed to work out the issue of launching the airport in Mariupol. He said this at a meeting of the Regional Development Council in Mariupol today, - correspondent of OstroV reports.

"There is another idea that has arisen today and which I will firmly deal with. Today I am instructing the Chief of General Staff, Minister of Defence, Minister of Infrastructure and head of the regional state administration to work out the launch of the airport in Mariupol", - he stated.

"I see that I have hit it", - the president added, having elicited applause from the audience.

Poroshenko also promised to consider the launch of Intercity trains to Mariupol.

"I do not promise this position quickly. But if we manage to effectively conduct negotiations with the European Union, do an update and electrification of the railway line, after that, we will bring Intercity to Mariupol", - the head of state said.

The issue that the Mariupol Airport should become the main airport in the Donetsk oblast has been discussed since the Prokofiev International Airport in Donetsk was destroyed.

Since the beginning of hostilities in the Donbass, the airport was occupied by the military, which were there until April 2016.

The Mariupol Airport began to be built in 1967, it was part of the Donetsk united air group until 1993. From 2003 to 2005, a large-scale reconstruction of the airport was carried out by the forces of Ilyich Iron and Steel Works. In 2004, two new An-140-100 aircrafts were acquired and the airport received international status. In 2004, more than 10 thousand passengers were transported. Already in 2007, the passenger traffic amounted to more than 20 thousand people. Since 2009, regular flights have not been made from Mariupol.

Azovobshchemash took the airport took in long-term lease in February 2012, but regular flights have not resumed. In 2017, the Mariupol Airport was returned to the balance of the city public utility through court.