MOSCOW, December 5. /TASS/. Russia continues to help Belarus overcome one of the most challenging aspects of Western sanctions - logistics restrictions, Belarusian Ambassador to Moscow Alexander Rogozhnik said.
"The disruption of logistics posed a real test for our economy: the closure of ports in the Baltic, restrictions on shipments passing through European border checkpoints. But the Russian Federation lent us a hand here. We are now building our own ports in Russia and working closely with Russian Railways to resolve all operational issues. All shipments are reaching their intended recipients," Rogozhnik said.
He added that Minsk made a strategic decision to preserve and develop its domestic capacities despite the sanctions.
"This is not just industry; this is also agriculture, the light industry, the scientific and technical complex. As the sanctions became harsher, we gained valuable experience," the envoy said, recalling President Alexander Lukashenko’s words that sanctions represent an opportunity.
Earlier in April, CEO of the Arctic Gate Sea Terminal Andrey Bunakov announced that a Belarusian company was planning to build a large port in Murmansk to transport goods out of the republic, including mineral fertilizer and oil products. The port's annual capacity is expected to be about 25-30 million tons of cargo. Later in September, head of the Federal Agency of Sea and River Transport (Rosmorrechflot) Andrey Tarasenko said that the agency is looking at establishing a Belarusian port in the Far East with a capacity of up to 10 million tons of cargo per year.