Veteran-miner told Informator.lg.ua about situation in coal industry of “LPR”, “partners” from South Ossetia and prices for “our people”.

We met Nikolay Ivanovich (the name was changed) in Starobelsk, where he went to withdraw pension from ATM. He asked about meeting himself. He is active pensioner, who still worries about his mine, colleagues and coal industry. Nikolay is very upset because of plunder of coal enterprises, destruction of industry, which was a pride and glory of Donbass. That is why he addressed journalists.

— I want to confess at first … I went to referendum. I made my wife participate too. I thought things will get better – we have everything in Donbass, plants, mines – we can overtake and surpass anyone. I thought that Russia would help … A year and two months after I see that that decision was wrong. Our bandits and Russian ones started to steal everything, make money and fill pockets. We didn’t like “Ahmetka” (Rinat Ahmetov), called him oligarch, who took all main places – Rovenki, Krasnodon, Sverdlovsk. But now we feel sorry, that not all mines in Luhansk region belong to him, because he tries to do something, to negotiate with Ukraine and “LPR” and his mines live somehow. There are other coal enterprises – SE “Luhanskugol”, “Antratsyt” – they are torn to pieces.

— How?

— I will tell you about mines of all “LPR”. Ukraine buys Antratsyt coal from “LPR”, pays 1300 UAH per ton – it’s a good price. “LPR” sold about 30 thousand tones to Ukraine in 2015, Ukraine paid for a half of it – where is money? Miners didn’t get it. They got 10% of their month salary just once – 300-400 UAH! Plotnitskiy explains that as temporary troubles in “young republic”. Russia buys our coal, even more than Ukraine, for only 1200 RUB per a tone. Where is money? We haven’t seen them.

— Is that a cost price?

— Its even lower. Coal of the SE “Antratsyt” costs at least 600 UAH. It is sold to local residents for 900-950 UAH, and 800 UAH for fine coal. “Russian brothers” pay 480 UAH. It’s like we have turned to a colony, backward race.

— What about sanctions? Participation of Russian companies in operations on that territories can cause sanctions against them. How Russia can buy coal from the “LPR”?

— They do it according to some old agreements. But they transport coal not only by trains, but also by “Kamaz” trucks – 400 km of open border. But OSCE monitor this situation – it can be dangerous, there can be sanctions. That is why they try to make it legal, use “intermediary companies”. People say that there is such company LLC “Coal Technologies” – established by Melnichuk brothers well-known in Rovenki, Sverdlovsk, they have close relations with oligarch Kurchenko. They buy coal and deliver it to Russia. They took coal for 26 million UAH, but haven’t paid yet.

— Will they pay, how do you think?

— No one knows. This LLC may vanish tomorrow. There are so many parasites around coal enterprises. Do you know that the main strategic partner of “LPR” is South Ossetia – the great country. Ossetia recognized us. And we make all transactions via Ossetia. Their traders demand to sell them coal for 580-600 RUB per ton, our fools don’t have other ways to sell coal legally to Russia. So Ossetia is used as mediator, Russia recognized it and coal goes to the RF via Ossetia. There is also Ivan Ivanovitch. Have you heard about him?

— No.

— Avramov Ivan Ivanovitch – honorable consul of Bulgaria in Luhansk and Donetsk regions. He is famous thief and a friend of “Yanyk”, right hand of Yura Enakievskiy (Ivanyushenko). He has “Luhansk Coal Company”. It also buys coal for cost prices. And, of course, there is Plotnitskiy. He also participates in coal trade. He is creating now “Tcentrugol” enterprises to support coal industry. Actually he will use it to control coal industry and make money. All those people tear the industry apart and don’t invest in it at all. Theydon’tevenpay. Theytreatpeoplelikecrap. “Young Republic” – is rubbish. Government of the “LPR” gave 30 million UAH credit to develop the industry. Some people got salaries from that money. But no one will pay the credit back, because no one develops the industry and the cost price will only become higher. Now coal is selling from stores, but it will come to an end very soon. It is not pleasant to say that, but Ukraine will make it without “Luhanskugol”, but will not without Ukraine.

— Media wrote that SE “Luhanskugol” reregistered in Ukraine …

— “Luhanskugol” and “Antrasyt” reregistered in Ukraine, but don’t pay taxes nor in Ukraine, neither in “LPR”. They opened accounts in Ukraine, send money there, cash them and get back to “LPR” in bags. Plotnitskiy told that “LPR” will not allocate money for mines because they are unprofitable. Subsidies make 80% of miners’ salaries. Some mines will be closed and are closing now. 5 or 6 mines were closed in Antratsyt area, other will die too without support of the state. “LPR” is not Ukraine, if something is going in a wrong way – machine gun is set against your back.

— What is the way out of the situation?

— We have to look for the way out. Give the alarm. We cannot keep silence. People understand it. We are not slaves.

— What do people think?

— A strike in Krasny Luch was driven away, but they will not manage to do it all the time. We have to remember 90s, when we went to Kiev to protect our rights. Or we will have to bow Russian brother and local swine.

Sergey Rudenko for theInformator.lg.ua