What does external management mean in Ukrainian enterprises. What will the “introduction of external management” at Ukrainian enterprises in the DPR and LPR lead to? "We have lost hope"

With the beginning of spring in the DPR and LPR, external management is introduced at enterprises under Ukrainian jurisdiction. Representatives of a headquarters specially created for this, which included deputies of the People's Council, as well as delegates from trade unions and labor collectives, are already visiting factories and mines, taking inventory there, meeting with employees and conducting explanatory work.

According to the head of the DPR Alexander Zakharchenko, about 40 enterprises have already passed under the external control of the DPR. As noted in the republic, the need to solve this problem first arose back in 2014, when the DPR was just created.

Despite the fact that in our declaration of sovereignty it was stated that all enterprises on the territory of the DPR are the property of the republic, in practice this provision could not be fully implemented: we had large metallurgical, coking and chemical enterprises that operated outside the jurisdiction DNR. But after the Ukrainian blockade cut off the supply of raw materials in our direction and finished products from us, the circumstances have acquired the character of force majeure. It was necessary to take some measures, - Boris Litvinov, ex-chairman of the DPR Supreme Council, one of the developers of the DPR declaration of independence, explains the current situation.

According to him, due to the fact that Ukrainian enterprises operated in the DPR, from 1.5 to 2 billion hryvnias were annually sent to Ukraine. The authorities of the republic put up with this in order to save jobs, although salaries were again accrued on Ukrainian territory and 1.5 percent was deducted from it to finance the military operation in Donbass. But with the blockade set up by the nationalists, Ukraine has placed the governments of the DNR in a near-stalemate.

At first glance, events developed rapidly. After the published joint statement of the heads of the DPR and LPR, Alexander Zakharchenko and Igor Plotnitsky, from March 1, at enterprises under Ukrainian jurisdiction, in the event that the blockade is not lifted, a meeting of the People's Council and the Council of Ministers was urgently convened in the DPR. However, the owners of enterprises were warned about the need to build relations in a new way and pass under the jurisdiction of the DPR a month and a half ago. Apparently, they ignored this warning.

Even when the ultimatum was delivered, none of the Ukrainian owners got in touch with the DPR, and the blockade did not stop.

Today, the blockade by the radicals is more likely to work for us, rather than against. Factories that will not start paying taxes to the budget of the DPR and will not be able to guarantee the work and fulfillment of social obligations to the inhabitants of the Republic will come under external government control. And we have all the mechanisms to carry out this transition with an automatic reorientation to Russia as quickly and painlessly as possible, - said acting. minister economic development DPR Victoria Romanyuk.

Meanwhile, the republic emphasizes that it is not about nationalization, but about external management. Nationalization requires the adoption of an appropriate law and a detailed resolution of the Council of Ministers. These documents were not adopted and were not even discussed, although the "left" political forces of the republic have a draft of such a law.

I believe that the introduction of external control is the right move. We are already approached by competent specialists who are ready to apply their knowledge and skills in the management of enterprises. And if we recall the potential of the Donetsk region, which brought Ukraine 20 percent of GDP, the potential of these enterprises is quite high. But of course, because of the blockade, there will be some difficult moments. For example, metallurgical plants used to receive raw materials in Krivoy Rog, but now, probably, they need to be reoriented to Stary Oskol. For the coke-chemical industry, special grades of coal will also have to be imported from Russia. Our coal for coking may not be enough, - argues Boris Litvinov.

However, in general, the beginning of changes are positively perceived in the republic. Moreover, they are associated with hopes for the restoration of the economic potential of Donbass.

The time has come for enterprises that are located on the territory of the DPR to bring revenues to our budget, and not give them to Ukraine. For this, the necessary the legislative framework, and over the past two years, new chains for obtaining resources and marketing products have been created and worked out,” says Miroslav Rudenko, deputy of the People’s Council of the DPR.

For more than two years, during which the blockade has lasted, we have learned how to systematically rebuild our economy in the direction of Russian Federation, - Victoria Romanyuk agrees with him. - Many domestic enterprises already have access to foreign markets and maintain foreign trade relations with more than 60 countries. The DPR exports abroad products of machine-building, metallurgical, chemical, food, pharmaceutical, and light industries. In addition, the energy resources and production potential of the republic will allow us not only to provide ourselves with all the necessary conditions for the full life of society, but also to establish strong economic ties with a number of states interested in our products.

By the way, there is good news for employees of enterprises that are subject to external management: the payroll fund will be fully preserved for them. Who wants to stay to work, can do it. Moreover, some enterprises will increase the duration working week, which was reduced due to the blockade, which means that the income of workers will also increase. But, as noted in the DPR, management tied to the structures of Ukrainian oligarchs will most likely have to be abandoned.

Now the most important thing is to clarify the situation to people and calm them down so that there are no unrest, since there is a real danger that Ukrainian business owners will try to destabilize the situation, - says Miroslav Rudenko.

So the day that the Bolsheviks spoke about came - the day of the nationalization of the enterprises of Akhmetov and other owners of Donbass, which remained such for almost three years after the proclamation of the people's republics only by a tragic coincidence.

The authorities of the republics, however, are still trying to avoid words such as “nationalization” that are terrible for the ear of the bourgeoisie, they call this the introduction of external control. But in essence it will be nationalization, although it can stretch out in time, and the former owners will be able through gray schemes maintain some influence.

The point is this: external management means that the enterprise begins to work for the republic, i.e. to a "terrorist organization" in Ukrainian terms. Accordingly, its owner, a law-abiding citizen of Ukraine, cannot be the owner of an enterprise and profit from activities that sponsor “terrorism”. So he should give up that venture. This is nationalization.

The attack on the Donetsk oligarchs turned out to be sharp. Although no less harsh than the blockade, which in less than a month has become a real threat number one for the Ukrainian economy. The authorities of Donbass gave the oligarchs two days to think. However, the day that the Bolsheviks were talking about should have come a long time ago - back in 2014, when the republics were proclaimed and Akhmetov and Co. were offered to decide who they were with.

Akhmetov, after a brief attempt to stall for time in the hope that the republics would fall, made up his mind. in favor of Ukraine. A paradoxical situation has arisen. The republics seem to be people's, but the enterprises of the oligarchs continued to operate in them, moreover, from the aggressor country, paying taxes in that country, including for the war with Donbass. Mariupol, according to most experts, was not taken at the end of the summer of 2014 only because it would bring down Akhmetov's empire, and at the same time the economy of Ukraine. Alas, this had to be done, because otherwise the enterprises would have stopped - and tens of thousands of people would have been left without work, which would be critical for the republics that were in a state of blockade.

But there would be no happiness, but misfortune helped. In the form of demoniac deputies Parasyuk and Semenchenko, who left the republics no choice but to take away the enterprises of the oligarchs and reorient them to Russia. Many Ukrainian propagandists rub their hands, saying that now they will definitely close, because Russia will not buy their products, because. Russia is full of its own coal and steel.

They don't understand one thing. A burden is, of course, a burden, but not so heavy, given that there is no other choice: on the opposite side of the scale, we have the actual surrender of Donbass, which means capitulation in this confrontation in particular and in the global confrontation with the West in general. Russia will not overstrain. As for legal issues and questions like "Where to put the products?", don't worry - we'll figure it out, everything is solved.

Moreover, the refusal to lift the blockade, in fact, almost directly speaks of Kyiv's withdrawal from the Minsk process. This, as well as the nationalization of Akhmetov, has long been dreamed of in the republics. Now there is every reason for this. As well as for the return of Mariupol, for which there are no more obstacles. As well as for the return of the entire territory where the referendum was held.

And Akhmetov punished himself. He had three years. But he apparently thought that everything would somehow resolve itself. It was decided. When Akhmetov and Co. supported the Maidan, they hardly thought that with their own hands they were destroying the consensus that allowed them to rule over Ukraine, destroying the civilized rules of the game and creating a country where there are no rules. This is what came back to them. Boomerang.

DONETSK, March 1 - RIA Novosti. External management is introduced from March 1 at all Ukrainian enterprises on the territory of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics, if these enterprises were not registered in the DPR and LPR. This decision was made by the heads of the republics in response to the transport blockade of Donbass.

At the end of January, a group of former participants in the military operation in the Donbass, including deputies of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, blocked freight railway communication with the territory of Donbass not controlled by Kiev at a number of sections. They stated that, in their opinion, any trade with the self-proclaimed republics is illegal. The blockade led to interruptions in the supply of anthracite coal, which is mined in the territories of Donbass not controlled by Kiev. In this regard, the Ukrainian authorities were forced to introduce emergency measures in the energy sector in order to save resources, and a number of industrial enterprises- stop production.

On Monday, the heads of the LPR and DPR announced that the self-proclaimed republics would stop supplying coal to Kiev if the railway blockade continued. In addition, they promised that if the blockade is not lifted before 00.00 on March 1, then external management will be introduced at all enterprises of Ukrainian jurisdiction operating in the DPR and LPR.

Ultimatum of self-proclaimed republics

Due to the transport blockade, the production of a number of large enterprises of Donbass was stopped along both lines of contact. Among them are the Enakievo Metallurgical Plant in the DPR and Krasnodonugol in the LPR, which are part of the Metinvest group owned by Ukrainian businessman Rinat Akhmetov.

“The Yenakiyevo Metallurgical Plant, some other enterprises have stopped working, they need to be launched. And if they are not re-registered by Wednesday, then they all pass under our control completely. This applies to stadiums and hotels,” said the head of the DPR, Alexander Zakharchenko, to the press -conferences.

At emergency meetings on Monday, the parliamentarians of the DPR and LPR adopted appropriate changes to the legislation. They allow the introduction of external management at enterprises of Ukrainian jurisdiction that will not be registered on the territory of the republics before March 1.

Also, the DPR and LPR announced the creation of special headquarters to control the transfer of enterprises of Ukrainian jurisdiction under external control. The LPR stressed that the employees of these enterprises will retain their positions.

"The created headquarters does not intend to keep enterprises afloat, but to promote them further development and reorientation towards Russia," said Vladimir Degtyarenko, chairman of the People's Council of the LPR.

The reaction of official Kyiv and the organizers of the blockade

The organizers of the trade blockade immediately stated that they did not intend to stop the action, on the contrary, they planned to "expand the geography of the blockade."

“The headquarters of the blockade calls on the patriots of Ukraine to come to the aid of the garrisons of the redoubts and plans to immediately expand the geography of the blockade by blocking the last routes where blood trade streams still exist,” the headquarters of the trade blockade activists said.

In Kyiv, the ultimatum of the heads of the self-proclaimed republics was called an attempt to freeze the conflict in the Donbass and stated that coal, which is produced in the territory not controlled by Kiev, is Ukrainian and should not be the subject of blackmail.

“Today they are using the scenario of a frozen conflict and a repetition of the Transnistrian scenario in the Donbass. And who will suffer from this? Ukraine and Ukrainians,” said Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman.

The Ministry for the Affairs of the Temporarily Occupied Territories warned that the heads of Ukrainian enterprises who agreed to "nationalization" by the authorities of the DPR and LPR would be held criminally liable "for financing terrorism."

"Most likely, unfortunately, if these threats are realized (about "nationalization" - ed.), then their future is complete destruction. Secondly, I want to appeal to the heads of these enterprises so that they do not forget that if and the commission of such actions, personally the heads of these enterprises will be subject to criminal liability," said Deputy Minister of Ukraine for the Temporarily Occupied Territories Heorhiy Tuka.

In turn, some heads of enterprises located in the territories controlled by the DPR and LPR stated that they would work only within the framework of Ukrainian legislation.

"The company has worked, is working and will continue to work exclusively within the framework of Ukrainian legislation, this is our principle, which has been used all these years and, I think, will be used," said Maxim Timchenko, CEO of Ukraine's largest private energy company DTEK.

Prospects and consequences of the "nationalization" of enterprises

"Nationalization" of enterprises under Ukrainian jurisdiction will only exacerbate the conflict in Donbass and will have serious consequences for the factories themselves and their workers, representatives of the Ukrainian opposition said. In their statement, they noted that "nationalization" will not solve the problem of enterprises: they will be left without legal contracts, and their employees without work and livelihoods.

Donbass will survive the "blockade". But Kyiv is unlikelyThe Kiev authorities are frankly afraid of dispersing the participants in the blockade of Donbass. And they feel this fear - and continue to put pressure. And it is very likely that there is simply no painless way out of this situation for Kyiv.

According to the leader of the "Opposition Bloc" Yuri Boyko, the current situation is the consequences of the delay in the implementation of the Minsk agreements. And the trade blockade of Donbass and "nationalization" will further "push" these territories away from Ukraine.

"No concrete actions have been taken to end the blockade. The blockade does not contribute to the return of people and territories, but rather creates conditions for their separation. We were categorically against the blockade and expected decisive action from the authorities. "Nationalization" of enterprises is pushing away part of the country, and we are also against it," Boyko said.

In turn, the representative of Kyiv in the political subgroup on Ukraine, Olga Aivazovskaya, said that the introduction by the authorities of the DPR and LPR of external management at enterprises under Ukrainian jurisdiction would affect the negotiation process to resolve the conflict in Donbass.

"If there is a nationalization of Ukrainian enterprises in the occupied territories, this will negatively affect the Minsk negotiations. Ukraine will lose legal control over enterprises, and the situation will also affect employees of enterprises. Any nationalization is a signal of a potential freezing of the conflict," Aivazovskaya said.

Representatives of Donbass explain that the decision to introduce external management at Ukrainian enterprises is a forced one. The first priority is to resume their work and save jobs. This, according to the head of the DPR Alexander Zakharchenko, will take about two months.

"Behind short term will have to rebuild the industry, change markets. The main task is to ensure the smooth operation of enterprises, wages and work for the workers of these enterprises," Zakharchenko said.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade of the DPR stressed that there is no doubt that it will be possible to reorient enterprises from the Ukrainian market to the markets of the Russian Federation and other countries. In addition, the transfer of all non-resident enterprises under republican jurisdiction will only expand the range of foreign trade relations of the DPR.

"Despite the difficulties with the political recognition of the republic, our enterprises are quite successfully cooperating with the countries of near and far abroad. In fact, our manufacturers began the process of moving away from Ukrainian markets in favor of other countries more than two years ago. The state has some experience in this , and there are business circles," the acting director noted. Minister of Industry and Trade of the DPR Alexei Granovsky.

In April 2014, the Ukrainian authorities launched a military operation against the self-proclaimed LPR and DPR, which declared independence after the coup in Ukraine in February 2014. According to the latest UN data, more than 10 thousand people became victims of the conflict.

The issue of resolving the situation in Donbass is being discussed, including during meetings in Minsk of the contact group, which since September 2014 has already adopted three documents regulating steps to de-escalate the conflict. However, even after the armistice agreements between the parties to the conflict, skirmishes continue.

In the Luhansk People's Republic, external management was to be introduced at three coal mining enterprises owned by Akhmetov: at Krasnodonugol PJSC, DTEK Rovenkianthracite LLC, and DTEK Sverdlovanthracite. The functions of temporary administration at enterprises in both self-proclaimed republics will be performed by Donetsk-based CJSC Vneshtorgservis.

The head of DTEK Sverdlovanthracite, Natalya Novoselova, told RBC that the company's enterprises were operating "as usual" and that the decision of the LPR authorities did not affect the work of the enterprise. “Everyone is at work. Nothing happened for us personally, ”Novoselova said.

Akhmetov's losses

Akhmetov's companies are merged into the SCM group. According to the official websites of the SCM group and its constituent companies DTEK and Metinvest, there are 47 enterprises and companies of the group in the territory of the self-proclaimed DPR and LPR. From the Metinvest group, the "risk group" includes ten mining and metallurgical companies. The largest of them are the Komsomolsk Mining Administration, the Khartsyzsk Pipe Plant, and the Enakievsky Metallurgical Plant (EMZ). According to Metinvest's report for 2016, YeMZ became the group's third plant in terms of production of pig iron (1.8 million tons) and steel (1.9 million tons). DTEK, also part of the SCM group, may lose thermal power plants located on the territory of the self-proclaimed republics, RBC reported earlier.

According to a source close to Metinvest, the mining and metallurgical enterprises of the holding in the territory not controlled by Ukraine brought him about $1.5 billion in annual export earnings. At the same time, enterprises in Ukraine itself also depend on their supplies. Thus, the termination of coal supplies from PJSC Krasnodonugol, which is part of Metinvest, will lead to a decrease in coke production at Ukraine's coking plants by 1 million tons per year, and two large metallurgical plants of the holding in Mariupol and Zaporozhye. Due to the shutdown of Metinvest's factories and enterprises in uncontrolled territory, Ukraine as a whole could lose $2.4 billion in foreign exchange earnings per year and up to 45,000 jobs, RBC's interlocutor cites the company's calculations.

Workers on the territory of the Enakievsky Metallurgical Plant (Photo: Igor Maslov / RIA Novosti)

In addition, there is a risk that Metinvest's Avdeevka Coke and Chemical Plant (AKHZ) will shut down due to a power outage from the Zuevskaya TPP. AKHZ supplies raw materials to the holding's second largest steel plant, the Mariupol Metallurgical Plant named after V.I. Ilyich. If it is stopped due to a shortage of raw materials, the company's export revenue will decrease by another $2.4 billion.

Representatives of Metinvest and DTEK declined to comment.

​Prospects for working with Russia

Alexander Zakharchenko said on March 1 that the DPR planned to receive raw materials from Russia for Ukrainian enterprises this week, where the authorities of the republic introduced external management: “We will receive raw materials from the Russian Federation. This process is being talked about. Earlier, he said that the products of enterprises are planned to be sent to Russia.

Russian companies will probably not buy raw materials from enterprises controlled by the DPR and LPR, fearing sanctions, suggests Maxim Khudalov, director of the ACRA corporate ratings group. He draws attention to the fact that not all of these products are generally in demand in Russia. Thus, the products of the Enakievsky Metallurgical Plant, taking into account the increase in the cost of supplying Russian raw materials, will also turn out to be more expensive than Russian ones, the expert points out. He believes that the metal products of the plants in small batches through small traders will be exported through Russian ports to the traditional markets for Russia and Ukraine in Turkey and the Middle East.

As a trader in the coal market and a source close to one of the metallurgical companies told RBC, the Russian NLMK had previously purchased a batch of coking coal that was in short supply on Russian market brand “K” in the DPR, from Donetskstal, owned by businessman Viktor Nusenkis. The Ministry of Energy of Russia confirmed NLMK's purchases of coal in Ukraine: a representative of the department, referring to the data of the Central Control Department of the Fuel and Energy Complex, said that NLMK imported 78 thousand tons of coking coal from Ukraine.

An NLMK representative declined to comment on coal imports from Ukraine. “NLMK is a major Russian consumer of coal, its purchases in Ukraine may be a way to achieve more favorable conditions from Russian coal miners,” says BCS analyst Oleg Petropavlovsky.

The representative of the association of Russian metallurgists "Russian Steel" declined to comment.

Head of the DPR Alexander Zakharchenko (left) during a visit to the Donetsk Metallurgical Plant (Photo: Viktor Drachev / TASS)

Phantom of recognition

Minister of Justice of Ukraine Pavlo Petrenko called the introduction of external management at enterprises nationalization and promised to include this fact in Ukraine's international lawsuits against Russia. Petrenko expressed confidence that the actions of the authorities of the DNR and LNR are directed from Moscow. Press Secretary of the President of Russia Dmitry Peskov said that although Russia has influence on the authorities of the DPR and LPR, it should not be overestimated.

Moscow defends the decision of the heads of the self-proclaimed republics, explaining that they were placed in difficult conditions by a trade blockade organized by volunteer battalions and deputies of the Ukrainian parliament from the opposition Samopomich faction. In January, blockade activists blocked the railway communication, which led to the cessation of coal supplies to Ukraine from territories not controlled by Kiev. Under the conditions of the blockade, the heads of the DPR and LPR had to ensure the functioning of enterprises, save jobs, explained Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

The Ukrainian authorities condemn the blockade, but take no action to unblock the routes. On Wednesday, Prime Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Groysman approved the list of goods and the organization of their transportation from uncontrolled territories to Ukraine, but the activists did not report their readiness to unblock the routes.

The introduction of external management at enterprises in the DPR and LPR was one of the topics at the next meeting of the trilateral contact group in Minsk, but none of the parties proposed specific solutions.

RBC's source in Russian diplomatic circles, when asked whether further recognition of the self-proclaimed DPR and LPR by Russia is possible, said that "there is no need to hurry yet." Nevertheless, he said that in the current conditions, the Minsk negotiations "finally reached an impasse" and "with such a configuration, it is not very clear what to talk about next." He did not rule out reformatting the negotiations, including new issues on the agenda, in particular, how Ukrainian enterprises “nationalized” by the DPR and LPR will work, but, according to him, “everything will depend on Kyiv’s further steps.”

According to Leonid Kalashnikov, the head of the parliamentary committee on CIS affairs, any scenario is possible, up to the recognition of the independence of the republics, if Kyiv switches to active hostilities.

Political scientist Alexei Makarkin predicts the Transnistrian rather than the Abkhazian and South Ossetian scenario. “On the one hand, Russia officially considers Pridnestrovie a part of Moldova and does not recognize its independence, on the other hand, it builds its own, including economic, relations with it,” he told RBC. The recognition of the DPR and LPR entails too great risks for Russia, the expert is sure.

The decision to introduce external governance is a move towards separating Donbass from Ukraine, but the main affected party is Rinat Akhmetov, says Ukrainian political scientist Volodymyr Fesenko. He draws attention to the fact that representatives of the LPR and DPR have not nationalized the enterprises, but for now they are only introducing management and demanding that taxes be paid on their territory, and this does not mean that enterprises will stop paying taxes to the Ukrainian budget. Ukraine, according to the expert, has not yet suffered significant financial losses. He assumes that the Kiev authorities will not take active steps to lift the blockade, but will wait until the situation calms down by itself, over time, Akhmetov and his enterprises can also agree on working conditions with representatives of the LPR and DPR.

With the participation of Polina Khimshiashvili, Anton Baev, Elena Smirnova, Sergey Vitko

The self-proclaimed republics of Donbass took control of Ukrainian enterprises in the region. Today the term of the ultimatum that the LPR and DPR put forward to Kiev has expired. Representatives of the republics demanded that the blockade of the region, organized by a group of former participants in the military operation in Donbass and deputies of the Verkhovna Rada, be lifted. Otherwise, the DPR and LPR promised to stop coal supplies to Ukraine and introduce external management at factories and factories. What enterprises of the DPR and LPR promised to take under their control and how important they are for Kyiv, Natalya Zhdanova found out.

A large number of metallurgical, coal and chemical enterprises are concentrated on the territory of Donbass, a significant part of which belongs to the Metinvest holding owned by businessman Rinat Akhmetov. These are Enakievsky Metallurgical Plant, Khartsyzsky Pipe Plant, Krasnodonugol, Rovenkianthracite and a number of others. Among the largest enterprises in Donbass are the Donetsk and Alchevsk metallurgical plants, as well as the Stirol Concern chemical plant located in Gorlovka and suspended its work.

Metallurgy is one of the main components of Ukrainian exports. Its share last year was 40%. The National Bank of Ukraine has estimated the country's annual losses from breaking economic ties with Donbas at $2 billion.

In addition, without the enterprises of Donetsk and Luhansk, the work of other Ukrainian factories may stop, said Dmitry Marunich, co-chairman of the Energy Strategies Fund of Ukraine: “The blockade will lead to a break in production chains, the impossibility of functioning. Some of the plants, I think, will be able to be launched from the territory of the Russian Federation, at least, such a possibility is already being discussed, in particular, at the Komsomolsk Mining Administration, regarding metallurgical plants. But it will be difficult and expensive, the impact will be very strong both on the economy of Ukraine and on incomes and jobs on the territory of the self-proclaimed republics.”

If production chains are disrupted and enterprises in the Donbass and other regions of the country stop working, up to 45,000 people may lose their jobs. This assessment was given by the head of the Federation of Metallurgists of Ukraine Serhiy Belenky.

Representatives of the DPR and LPR stated that they intended to reorient the enterprises of Donbass to the market of Russia and other countries, however, Andriy Gerus, an energy expert of Ukraine, believes that this is impossible: “There were cases when some enterprises, for example, mines, were nationalized, and after a while these mines simply stopped, because these are complex enterprises, they require professional management. Who will exercise this external control?”

Everything is really complicated with coal enterprises - anthracite, which is mined in the Donbass, is not needed by Moscow. But experts do not exclude that in the end it will still be delivered to Ukraine along a different route, for example, through Russia.

But metallurgical plants can theoretically be reoriented, said Mykola Osadchiy, project manager at Metal Expert Consulting: “Ukrainian metallurgy has long been focused not so much on the Ukrainian market as on adjacent markets, including the Russian one. Technically, the transfer of control is possible. Moreover, quite a lot of specialists from Ukraine work in the Russian industry, who simply found more opportunities here than in their homeland. I think that if they are offered interesting conditions in their homeland or in the Donbass, the main question is where it will be financed from.”

Representatives of the DPR and LPR promised to take control of not only large enterprises in Donbass, but also small ones. On Tuesday, it became known that the Donbass Arena stadium, owned by Ukrainian oligarch Rinat Akhmetov, was seized in Donetsk.