With Svetlana (name changed — ed.), pretty woman on Balsak’s age, we communicated in Mirhorod, in quiet cafe. She is entrepreneur from Luhansk. Until recently she was on a side of militants — supply them with products and things essentials.
Due to this activity she moved closer to insurgents of “LPR”. But not solong ago she decided to leave her native city.
Svetlana told to informator.lg.ua about species of having business in “republic”, competitions among the «militants» and the main source of income of leaders of «LPR».
- The main wave of migrants came on the summer months. Why you decided to leave city at this moment?
- Because I was on their side. How foolish I was! — Sveta is trying to smile — Till the end I hoped that there will be deal, but it was already understood that everything is lie and rubbery there. Last spring I went to captured SSU, brought them products, medicine. I was happy about little victories of our “militants’. But now it’s understood who won with all this fraud with “Novorossiya”.
- And who won according to your opinion?
Except the direct answer Svetlana is continuing:
- A few days ago all Luhansk cried that Russians called Plotnitsky to themselves and then arrested him for all his “arts” considering people’s complains. Nobody wondered about this situation: arrogance and greed leader of “LPR” is a well-known feature of Plotnitsky. So it looks like Kremlin landowner — called salesman, thief, to flog him on the stables.
- But information about arrest wasn’t correct…
- Yes, it didn’t confirmed, but something with Plotnitsky is happened — maybe pneumonia or “inflammation of greed“ or he really was detained. If he lay in coffin or go into jail nobody will cry about him. Is that some kind of his servants.
- New “power” very often claim that “LPR” is a “country” of big possibilities and even businessmen, leaved the city, are invited back to work there…
- To live in the city and to have an independent business is impossible. It’s like a lawlessness year 1995, but in another scales. It’s a territory where laws didn’t work. If they decide to cut a fingers as a penalty — they will do it. Careless step or a word — bullet in the nape. Or “on a cellar”. Future of both “foolish” “republics” “LPR” and “DPR” is vague and unclear. That’s why so-called chieftains try as fast as they can to steal more and more. It’s a surprise, but you still can take something there. On the head of all this scheme — leader of “LPR”.
The “high level” of “republic” tries to take under its control the maximum number of income sources. Plotnitsky is trying to take in his hands all levers of power. But it’s not always successful, because some of districts are under control of another “heads” who don’t perceive the power of “LPR leader”. Plotnitsky can inflate his rather big cheeks, but he isn’t a full owner and master of the region.
- About what sources of income are you talking?
- About all of them. Beginning with stealing the humanitarian aid and ending of smuggling of coal and racket. We can take a coal for example. In different years a lot of people made a statuses on it. Here were “enakiesky yuras” and “efremovs sashas”. But they has never fell down in the mine during all their life. High level of “LPR” are trying to arrogate to themselves this source. They even don’t disdain to supply coal to “fascist Kiev’s junta” — by cars, trains through the “left” routes, through south ports and in a under the guise of slag and brazen — as «national hero» plumber Dremov told. “Junta” of course is “fascist” but to trade a coal with it is profitably. It’s understood that this coal is moved to Russia too. Plotnisky uses this possibility in a full. He tries to “snatch” all coal industry of occupied region, even places which are not controlled by “militia of “LPR”. Struggling for tasty piece is one of the reasons of conflicts of Plotnitsky and local “pnces”. To take coal topic under control Plotnitsky needs to fight with cossacks, which were “sitting” on this business till the spring. Directly speaking cossacks and coal industry are not so close. Modern cossack — is “Mummers” games with medals of foil , but fraught with very real blood.
- What cossack can understand in a coil industry?
- He don’t need to understand: simple variant is to put a gun to a head of person, who understands. But, from the opposite side, gun could be put to a cossack’s head. For example, at the beginning of March there was the attempt on one of the warlords — “Bendex”, who controlled coal industry in Anthracit. On this basis it has been loud conflict between Plotnitsky and Stakhanov cossack plumber Dremov. And on April of this year with main gangster of Sverdlovsk — Guydei. There were hearings that Guidei gathered all local coalers and warned them not to go on a contact with Plotnisky people, because they will impose their tribute.
- And who is Guidei?
- He is an ex-deputy of Sverdlovsk city Department from the Communist party. He turned in cossack a year ago. Guidei in Sverdlovsk made entrepreneurs to pay tribute — 70% from profit. That’s why they made a big price on a products in the city. Sverdlovsk illegal mines, markets, border and gas stations were under control of Guidei band. Also, he controls checkpoint “Doljanskiy” on a border with Russia and “collects’ there “custom duties”. His “servants” gather the “taxes” from businessmen every day.
- Do you know, who has profit from petrol business in “LPR”?
- Till the last time all gas stations worked on Plotnitsky. Cossacks actively fight for the right with Plotnitsky to have their own profit from fillings of “LPR”. They had control of south part of occupied territories. Their refills were burnt, attacked, because top og “LPR” demanded from cossacks to give part of profit for “republic needs”, but they didn’t want to pay.
One more goldmine is lubricants. Ukrainian companies didn’t supply fuel for a long time. It comes into occupied territories by humanitarian convoys and smuggling. Two biggest networks of gas stations “Ost-torg” and “Vostochnye resursy” were nationalized in december 2014. Top of “LPR” and personally Plotnitsky had a big profit from them. There was a situation when Russian’s humanitarian convoy delivered 50 tons of petrol. It was sold only on this two networks. Except humanitarian convoys petrol gets to the city with help of businessmen, closed to leader of “republic”. Fuel is bought on a wholesale warehouses in Russia and moved to “LPR” on this two networks. Such petrol was taxed by “powers” in 1.5 UAH for 1 unit of fuel. License for trading of fuel costs 300 000 UAH in a month, can you imagine such a price! But smart people are saying that in closer days everything changed. Nowadays 60 gas stations of “LPR” will be controlled by Sasha Yanukovich, Arbuzov and other members and friends of “the family”.
One more news like “thief from a thief stole a stick”. Powers of “LPR” are going to “nationalize” all gas stations. After this they will be submitted under control of Russian companies. Maybe, Russians want to remove Plotnitsky from petrol trough. It’s known that they are going to deliver in “LPR” fuels and lubricants. Business-structures of “young oligarch” Kurchenko will buy and supply fuel. And delivery of gas, maybe, will pass through the structures of Kurchenko. He is the one of subjects who can’t stop to enrich.
- So, it turns that leader of “LPR” step-by-step will be out from “big business”, won’t he?
- Plotnitsky didn’t put all eggs in one basket. Recently he began to have profit from of the collection (the metal in the area after the military action — like dirt). Not so long ago armed people appeared in a points of scrap and talked with businessmen that all trade of metal will be made through the “man of Plotnitsky”. In our Luhansk man with the gun is the main argument in business.To sell something from points of recycling, you need to connect with this person and to pay certain collection. Independent trade is forbidden. The work of currency changing points also is controlled by Plotnitsky. Every “money unit” pays for Plotnitsky a certain “tax”.
On a terrible rubbery exchanging rate top of “LPR” has a good profit too. You’ve heard, I’m sure, that in Luhansk was entered multicurrency system. It’s only a beautiful name. Really everything goes to the situation when all payments are made on a rate 1 to 2. This means if a person has salary of 2000 UAH, he will get 4000 rubles, but in Ukraine it will be nearly 5000 UAH. Market rate is more high in “LPR” 1/2 ,1. Selling of currency is forbidden now. UAH are in deficit, you even can have a discount closer to 20% if you pay in UAH.
- You talked about stealing the humanitarian aid at the beginning of speaking…
- Yes, it’s a separate topic.
Plotnitsky presented to his wife on a Birthday two hypermarket construction “Epicentre”. Last autumn the were rubbered by “militants”, but now they are working. They have another name “Stroycentre”. Plotnitsky made a “present” for his daughter too. He gave to her tender leadership network of supermarkets “Narodny” (ex-”ATB”). With such operations he concentrated the main sources of income of trading in a hands of his family.
Humanitarian aid from Russia are selling through this supermarkets. Russians knew about this and began to mark boxes with help by stamp “Not for sale”. People of Plotnisky found original exit. They captured the warehouses on a “5th kilometer” and began to prepackage all aid and put it on a counterfeits. In Luhansk supermarkets flour, sugar from humanitarian aid packages with no markings. It is made in “5th kilometer”. Also Russians send the hygiene kits — package of shampoo and toothpaste. All of this stuff is opening, dividing and going into shops. Shampoos are transfused from 1 package into three. The main principle of “LPR” is “all for sell”, in spite of revolution rhetoric and hunger in which people vegetate.
- Do people see all of this?
- Yes, they see but keep silence. Don’t forget that in the city is a lot of armed people, many Russians. ot so long ago Plotnitsky went to “Crystal” (trade center in Luhansk) to do shopping. All building was closed while he “bought” there goods. After this he sat in a car and went away and shop was opened again. But, it’s very interesting for me, if experience of one of more mighty “family” doesn’t prompt anything to him? Disturbing thoughts are appearing in his head? It would not have had to shake the fat during scoot! But, maybe, such “difficult historical parallels” don’t come into his pumpkin head.
Nickolay Kovalenko for informator.lg.ua