‘LPR’ representatives claimed that Ukrainian businessman Rinat Akhmetov ‘for the sake of owns profit decided to leave ‘people of LPR’. He also tried to create unbearable conditions for life in Donbass’ and ‘played not a last role in the stop of supply of power’ to Non-Government Controlled Areas of Luhansk region. Pro-Russian websites reported about it.

It’s noted in the report that ‘biggest part of a coal was supplied in Ukraine before the blockade began  by Rinat Akhmetov enterprises. Before the outbreak of hostilities in Donbass Akhmetov, one of the leaders of a rich people of Ukraine ratings, controlled 47 enterprises through ‘DTEK’ and ‘Metinvest’ structures, located on the territory of ‘LPR’ and ‘DPR’.

‘LPR’ representatives claimed that ‘Ukrainian side in the person of ‘Lugansk Energy Association’ completely stopped the supply of electricity to the territory of ‘LPR’ on April 2017, that brought also to stop of water supply’.

‘After that Rinat Leonidovich is lobbying the increase in purchasing prices through the National Commission for Regulation of the Electric Power Industry of Ukraine from 1,700 hryvnia to 2,200 (~$64 – $83) for a ton of anthracite coal and from 1,600 to 2,100 (~$60 – $79) for a ton of ordinary coal. In this way having switched off the electric power in ‘LPR’ Akhmetov saves on the so-scarce in the current Ukraine coal and at the expense of his lobby, he first increases the purchase price of coal and works to increase tariffs’, ‘LPR experts’ are convinced.

They claimed there that ‘Akhmetov was planning to earn on increase of tariffs, and ‘the blockade was to be lifted after the increase in tariffs’.