Donetsk, Dec 11 — DAN. Heat has been supplied to more than 90 percent of houses in Mariupol, and another 30 buildings will be heated shortly, said Russian Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin who visited the port city in the Donetsk People’s Republic on Sunday.

“Heat supply was the trip’s key issue, ” Khusnullin said in a post on Telegram.  “There remain some 80 ‘problem’ facilities; most of them were initially slated for demolition, but after careful examination later on they were approved for repairs.”

About 30 buildings will be connected to heat supply later this month. A powerful diesel generator was installed at the Gazovaya boiler house that supplies heat to some 150 buildings, and more than 3.5 kilometers of heat supply pipes were replaced to ensure its uninterrupted operation. The construction of this facility was supervised by the Territorial Development Fund, he said.

The deputy premier also inspected the restoration of house frontages in central Mariupol, the embankment and the Nakhimov naval school construction site. Some 50,000 square meters of facades have already been repaired in accordance with the city master plan.

“By and large, the Mariupol rebuilding is running according to schedule, but the city has to step up the work on single-family neighborhoods and keep pace with the socio-economic development program in relaunching enterprises in 2024, ” the official said.

Khusnullin had talks with DPR leader Denis Pushilin in the course of his trip, but the theme of the talks was not disclosed.

Earlier reports said that the first apartment building was commissioned in Mariupol as part of the preferential mortgage program.

Mariupol is the largest city on the Sea of Azov coast, a key Donbass metallurgy center and seaport. The city was founded in 1778. It was named Mariupol in honor of Maria Fyodorovna, the spouse of Grand Prince Pavel Petrovich (future emperor Pavel I, the grandson of Peter I). It was liberated from Ukrainian troops on April 21, 2022. Massive rebuilding was launched in the city whose housing stock and infrastructure had sustained significant damage.*jk