KHERSON, June 16. /TASS/. Ukraine's blockade of a key Black Sea esutary from the Dnieper River has prevented grain shipments from the Kherson Region in the usual way this year, thus alternative ways to get the exports out must be found, Kirill Stremousov, deputy head of the regional military-civilian administration, told TASS.

The Kherson Region is a major agricultural producer, and it has already been supplying vegetables, fruits and grains to Russia’s regions. Building such economic ties allows the region to gradually return to normal life after leaving the Kiev regime's jurisdiction.

"Previously, the maximum [amount of goods] was exported through the port, but now it is dangerous. The waters of the Dnieper-Bug estuary are mined and repeatedly come under fire. Until Ochakov and Nikolaev are liberated [from the Ukrainian nationalists], we cannot ship [goods]," Stremousov emphasized.

At the same time, he noted, the port itself is functioning, while navigation is prohibited. Still, the team is engaged in internal technological work, keeping the infrastructure in good condition.

Earlier, it was reported that agricultural products from the Kherson Region are exported only by road via Crimea. The checkpoint entrances to the peninsula are backed up with long lines. Still, in spite of being worked overtime and beyond capacity, more delivery vehicles need to get through. On Wednesday, Crimea head Sergey Aksenov said that measures would be taken to speed up the inspection and get more trucks through. Currently, 110 cars are inspected, along with 1,000-1,100 trucks per day, but in the coming weeks that number will be increased, the checkpoints will be able serve 2,000 cars a day.