What does external management of an enterprise in the Donbass mean? What will “external management” of enterprises in Donbass lead to? Ultimatum from the self-proclaimed republics

So the day the Bolsheviks spoke about has arrived - the day of nationalization of the enterprises of Akhmetov and other owners of Donbass, who remained so for almost three years after the proclamation of the people's republics only due to a tragic coincidence.

The authorities of the republics, however, are still trying to avoid words like “nationalization” that are scary to the ears of the bourgeoisie; they call this the introduction of external control. But in essence this will be nationalization, although it may extend over time, and the former owners will be able to retain a certain influence through gray schemes.

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

The attack on the Donetsk oligarchs turned out to be sharp. Although no less drastic than the blockade, which in less than a month has become the number one real threat to the Ukrainian economy. The Donbass authorities 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 asked to decide who they were with.

Akhmetov, after short attempts to stall for time in the hope that the republics would fall, made up his mind. In favor of Ukraine. A paradoxical situation arose. The republics seem to be people's ones, but the enterprises of the oligarchs continued to operate in them, and 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 have brought down Akhmetov’s empire, and at the same time the Ukrainian economy. 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 have been critical for the republics that were under blockade.

But there would be no happiness, but misfortune helped. In the form of the possessed deputies Parasyuk and Semenchenko, who left the republics no choice but to take over the enterprises of the oligarchs and redirect them to Russia. Many Ukrainian propagandists are rubbing their hands, saying that now they will definitely close, because Russia will not buy their products, because Russia has plenty of its own coal and steel.

They don't understand one thing. The 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 itself. As for legal issues and questions like “Where should I put the products?”, don’t worry - we’ll sort it out, everything can be solved.

Moreover, the refusal to lift the blockade actually 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 took place.

And Akhmetov punished himself. He had three years. But he apparently thought that everything would somehow be resolved by itself. It was decided. When Akhmetov and Co. supported 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.

On March 1, the authorities of the self-proclaimed republics of Donbass began to introduce so-called “temporary external management” at those local enterprises that continue to operate under Ukrainian laws and are registered in territory controlled by Kyiv. We are talking about factories, mines and companies - including those that are part of the System Capital Management (SKR) group of companies, which unites the assets of Rinat Akhmetov.

First victims

According to the head of the self-proclaimed "Donetsk People's Republic" ("DPR") Alexander Zakharchenko, 40 enterprises will fall under the control of "external management", most of which are related to the fuel and energy complex and metallurgy. The "Lugansk People's Republic" ("LPR") also does not specify a specific list of enterprises, although they note that it includes at least three enterprises of Rinat Akhmetov: "Krasnodonugol" from the Metinvest holding and two DTEK mines - "Rovenkianthracite" and " Sverdlovanthracite".

Thus, the business of Akhmetov’s SCM group is perhaps the main object of “temporary external control” of the separatists. According to the Ministry of Economic Development, of the 20 largest industrial enterprises in the Donetsk and Lugansk regions not controlled by Kyiv, which employ more than 70 thousand workers, 17 are part of DTEK and Metinvest, three more are part of the ISD group, owned by deputy Sergei Taruta and a group of Russian investors .

SCM has not yet confirmed the introduction of “external control,” although on March 1 they announced the seizure of the Donetsk office of the telecommunications company Ukrtelecom, and the day before - the blocking of their own humanitarian aid centers. At the same time, the group confirms that armed groups have been spotted near some enterprises since March 1.

Ultimatum

The issue of “nationalization” of Ukrainian enterprises was raised by the authorities of the self-proclaimed DPR and LPR almost from the very beginning of their existence. Almost immediately, state and utility enterprises in the region came under the control of the separatists - local markets, state mines, energy and heat supply organizations, as well as the fuel business and banking institutions of Igor Kolomoisky, the local branch of the telecom operator Kyivstar.

During 2015-2016, “nationalization” was sporadic: for example, in the fall of 2016, a “temporary administration” was introduced at the Stalkanat-Silur plant in Khartsyzsk.

However, according to co-owner of ISD Sergei Taruta, the authorities of the self-proclaimed republics until recently did not encroach on enterprises that re-registered in Ukraine in 2014-2015 and paid taxes to the state budget. “The economic subgroup of Minsk has a list of such enterprises. At each meeting, the conditions of their work are discussed. If the separatists interfere, then there is an immediate reaction, and the separatists get hit on the head by the Kremlin,” he noted in an interview with RBC-Ukraine.

However, in early February of this year, the “people’s councils” of the so-called “DPR” and “LPR” simultaneously adopted bills in which, in essence, they put forward an ultimatum to local enterprises operating under Ukrainian laws: either they pay taxes to the self-proclaimed authorities, or let them prepare for the arrival of “temporary administrations”, that is, in fact, to the seizure.

Blockade as a reason

The ultimatum expired on March 31. The leadership of SCM and ISD almost immediately announced that they would not accept the conditions of the separatists and would continue to work according to Ukrainian laws. “We didn’t take this threat seriously at first,” a top manager at one of Metinvest’s enterprises in government-controlled territory told DW. “We were much more worried about this one, which was disrupting our technological cycles.” (Railway blockade of areas of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions not controlled by Kyiv by a group of ATO veterans in order to force the authorities in Kyiv to stop supplies of coal from the self-proclaimed “DPR” and “LPR.” - Red.).

It was because of the blockade, according to management, that Metinvest was forced to stop the work of the Yenakievo metallurgical plant and the Krasnodonugol mines, and ISD - the metallurgical and coke plants in Alchevsk.

Context

But the blockade also affected the plans of the separatists. On February 27, the leaders of the “DPR” and “LPR” issued a statement in which they called on the Ukrainian government to lift the transport blockade of the “republics” by March 1, threatening the “nationalization” of Ukrainian enterprises and the cessation of coal supplies to the controlled territories.

Reorientation towards Russia or collapse?

According to the Security Service of Ukraine, enterprises located in uncontrolled territories paid about 32 billion hryvnia in taxes to the Ukrainian budget in 2016. This amount is extremely sensitive for the budgets of the “DPR” and “LPR,” which are almost entirely dependent on Russian subsidies, which have been declining recently.

However, in order to pay taxes, enterprises must operate and sell products. The leadership of the separatists promises to reorient them towards Russian sales markets - in the short term, this will help overcome the negative consequences of the blockade, and in the long term, it will weaken the Ukrainian economy, depriving it of energy resources and raw materials.

However, according to the chairman of the Independent Trade Union of Miners of Ukraine, Mikhail Volynets, the separatists’ plans are connected with corruption schemes to circumvent the blockade. “Ore, anthracite and coking coal will again be exported to Rostov or Taganrog, and from there they will be imported by sea to Mariupol under the guise of Russian or even South African products, as happened in 2015. Again, someone will make money from this,” he predicts.

Metinvest has already spoken about the need to reorient itself to Russian coke due to the blockade, noting the sharp rise in prices for Russian raw materials. According to estimates by the president of the Ukrmetallurgprom industry association, Alexander Kalenkov, the losses of Ukrainian industry from the cessation of supplies of raw materials from areas not controlled by Kyiv in 2017 could amount to $3.5 billion.

According to Mikhail Volynets, the separatists’ “external management” administrations will not be able to manage the region’s metallurgical and energy enterprises for a long time - due to a lack of qualified personnel and legal claims from former owners. Deputy Minister for Temporarily Occupied Territories and Internally Displaced Persons Georgiy Tuka shares the same opinion, predicting that the nationalized factories will simply be “cut into scrap metal.”

However, the top management of Metinvest enterprises is wary of the separatists' plans. “For several weeks now, “on the other side” they have been discussing a plan to create a single holding company “Metenergo” based on the enterprises of DTEK, Metinvest and ISD, which will be handled by people from the Russian government. But we are still not sure whether these are real plans or an element of blackmail ", added DW's interlocutor at one of the holding companies.

see also:

• Under the crossfire

  Shooting usually starts at sunset. Every night the line of contact between the parties to the conflict in the Donetsk region is subject to mortar and machine gun fire. Elderly residents who lack the means to leave are regularly caught in the crossfire of the Ukrainian army and pro-Russian separatists. In the photo - resident of the village of Zhovanki Ivan Polansky in his house, destroyed as a result of shelling.



Conflict in Donbass: Life on the line of fire

Every day in anticipation of shelling

“Every day you expect a shell to fall on your house, and you don’t know when it will happen,” complains Lyudmila Studerikova, who lives in Zhovanka on the demarcation line between the parties to the conflict in Donbass, while waiting to see a doctor. Once a week, doctors deploy a mobile first-aid post in the village.



Conflict in Donbass: Life on the line of fire

No electricity or heating

After the outbreak of the conflict in Donbass in the spring of 2014, the population of Zhovanka decreased from one thousand to two hundred people. Local residents have been without gas and electricity for three months. “Sometimes I’m so scared that I lie in bed at night and shake,” says Lyudmila Studerikova.



Conflict in Donbass: Life on the line of fire

Nowhere to go

Even in winter, people continue to live in dilapidated houses with leaking roofs. They have nowhere to go, because after the start of the conflict, housing rent in neighboring cities has risen sharply. “Rent in Kramatorsk now costs the same as in Kyiv, although salaries are much lower,” complains Alexander Voroshkov, coordinator of the Kramatorsk headquarters for assistance to internally displaced persons.



Conflict in Donbass: Life on the line of fire

Hoping for humanitarian aid

Residents of Zhovanka queue for medicines. Charitable organizations deliver food and humanitarian aid here. Those who want to leave the village sometimes have to spend a whole day in line at the checkpoint. “We had everything: fresh air, nature. It was very good here,” recalls Vera Sharovarova, who lives in the village. “Now it’s just cold here.”



Conflict in Donbass: Life on the line of fire

People have adapted to war

The village of Spartak in the Donetsk region is controlled by separatists. According to its resident Vera Anoshina, she adapted to life in a combat zone as best she could. "If you don't have water, you find it. If you don't have electricity, you find a way. But you never know where the next bomb will fall," the woman says.



Conflict in Donbass: Life on the line of fire

Six broken ribs

Another resident of Spartak, Svetlana Zavadenko, was covered with debris from a wall during artillery shelling. Several shells exploded right in her yard. Neighbors had to literally dig the woman out from under the rubble. She was taken to hospital with six broken ribs and a ruptured lung.



Conflict in Donbass: Life on the line of fire

"We have lost hope"

After being discharged from the hospital, Svetlana Zavadenko returned to her village, where she lives alone. Since 2014, there has been no electricity, gas or water in Spartak, so she has to cook on the grill. A woman goes to an abandoned furniture factory to get firewood. “Last winter we thought the war was over, but now, frankly speaking, we have lost hope,” she laments.



Conflict in Donbass: Life on the line of fire

Poroshenko is ready to withdraw troops...

Despite numerous unsuccessful attempts to establish peace, a ceasefire may be declared again in the near future. After the October Normandy Four summit, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said he was ready to stop fighting in eastern Ukraine and withdraw troops.



Conflict in Donbass: Life on the line of fire

... but the military has a different opinion

But even if the parties to the conflict agree to a truce, they will face resistance from their military. “We have lost too many fighters to stop now,” says Colonel of the 81st Airmobile Brigade of the Ukrainian Army Vladimir Parkhamovich. “If we are ordered (to stop hostilities - Ed.), we will consider it a betrayal.”

DONETSK, March 1 - PRIME. External management will be 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 Donbass, including deputies of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, blocked freight railway communication with the territory of Donbass not controlled by Kyiv in a number of areas. They stated that, in their opinion, any trade with the self-proclaimed republics was illegal. The blockade led to interruptions in the supply of anthracite coal, which is mined in the territories of Donbass not controlled by Kyiv. 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 were forced to stop production.

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

ULTIMATUUM OF THE SELF-PROCLAIMED REPUBLICS

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

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

At emergency meetings on Monday, parliamentarians of the DPR and LPR adopted relevant changes to the legislation. They allow the introduction of external management at enterprises of Ukrainian jurisdiction that do not register 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 under Ukrainian jurisdiction to external management. The LPR emphasized that the employees of these enterprises will retain their positions.

“The created headquarters does not intend to keep enterprises afloat, but to promote their further development and reorientation towards Russia,” said Vladimir Degtyarenko, Chairman of the People’s Council of the LPR.

REACTION OF OFFICIAL Kyiv AND ORGANIZERS OF THE BLOCKADE

The organizers of the trade blockade immediately stated that they do not intend to stop the action; on the contrary, they plan 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, blocking the last routes where streams of trade in blood still exist,” said the headquarters of activists of the trade blockade.

In Kyiv, the ultimatum of the heads of the self-proclaimed republics was called an attempt to freeze the conflict in Donbass and stated that the coal produced in the territory not controlled by Kyiv 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 Transnistria scenario in Donbass. And who will suffer from this? Ukraine and Ukrainians,” said Ukrainian Prime Minister Vladimir Groysman.

The Ministry for Temporarily Occupied Territories warned that the heads of Ukrainian enterprises who agreed to “nationalization” by the authorities of the DPR and LPR will bear criminal liability “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 agreed and the commission of such actions, the personal heads of these enterprises will be subject to criminal liability,” said Deputy Minister of Ukraine for the Affairs of Temporarily Occupied Territories Georgiy Tuka.

In turn, some managers of enterprises located in 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 that 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 "NATIONALIZATION" OF ENTERPRISES

“Nationalization” of enterprises under Ukrainian jurisdiction will only aggravate 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 will be left without work and livelihoods.”

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

“No specific actions were taken to end the blockade. The blockade does not contribute to the return of people and territories, but on the contrary 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 this,” Boyko noted.

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 of Ukrainian jurisdiction will affect the negotiation process to resolve the conflict in Donbass.

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

Representatives of Donbass explain that the decision to introduce external management at Ukrainian enterprises is forced. The first priority is to get them back to work and save jobs. According to the head of the DPR, Alexander Zakharchenko, this will take about two months.

“In a short period of time, we will have to rebuild the industry and change sales markets. The main task is to ensure the uninterrupted operation of enterprises, wages and work for the workers of these enterprises,” Zakharchenko said.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade of the DPR emphasized 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 political recognition of the republic, our enterprises quite successfully cooperate with countries near and far abroad. In fact, our manufacturers began the process of leaving Ukrainian sales markets in favor of other countries more than two years ago. The state also has some experience in this , and there are business circles,” noted the acting Minister of Industry and Trade of the DPR Alexey 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 truce agreements, firefights continued between the parties to the conflict.

External management will be 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 Donbass, including deputies of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, blocked freight railway communication with the territory of Donbass not controlled by Kyiv in a number of areas. They stated that, in their opinion, any trade with the self-proclaimed republics was illegal. The blockade led to interruptions in the supply of anthracite coal, which is mined in the territories of Donbass not controlled by Kyiv. 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 were forced to stop production.

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

Ultimatum from the self-proclaimed republics

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

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

At emergency meetings on Monday, parliamentarians of the DPR and LPR adopted relevant changes to the legislation. They allow the introduction of external management at enterprises of Ukrainian jurisdiction that do not register 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 under Ukrainian jurisdiction to external management. The LPR emphasized that the employees of these enterprises will retain their positions.

“The created headquarters does not intend to keep enterprises afloat, but to promote their further development and reorientation towards Russia,” said Vladimir Degtyarenko, Chairman of the People’s Council of the LPR.

Reaction of official Kyiv and the organizers of the blockade

The organizers of the trade blockade immediately stated that they do not intend to stop the action; on the contrary, they plan 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, blocking the last routes where streams of trade in blood still exist,” said the headquarters of activists of the trade blockade.

In Kyiv, the ultimatum of the heads of the self-proclaimed republics was called an attempt to freeze the conflict in Donbass and stated that the coal produced in the territory not controlled by Kyiv 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 Transnistria scenario in Donbass. And who will suffer from this? Ukraine and Ukrainians,” said Ukrainian Prime Minister Vladimir Groysman.

The Ministry for Temporarily Occupied Territories warned that the heads of Ukrainian enterprises who agreed to “nationalization” by the authorities of the DPR and LPR will bear criminal liability “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 agreed and the commission of such actions, the personal heads of these enterprises will be subject to criminal liability,” said Deputy Minister of Ukraine for the Affairs of Temporarily Occupied Territories Georgiy Tuka.

In turn, some managers of enterprises located in 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 that 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 "nationalization" of enterprises

“Nationalization” of enterprises under Ukrainian jurisdiction will only aggravate 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 will be left without work and livelihoods.”

According to the leader of the Opposition Bloc, Yuri Boyko, the current situation is the consequences of delaying 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 were taken to end the blockade. The blockade does not contribute to the return of people and territories, but on the contrary 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 this,” Boyko noted.

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 of Ukrainian jurisdiction will affect the negotiation process to resolve the conflict in Donbass.

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

Representatives of Donbass explain that the decision to introduce external management at Ukrainian enterprises is forced. The first priority is to get them back to work and save jobs. According to the head of the DPR, Alexander Zakharchenko, this will take about two months.

“In a short period of time, we will have to rebuild the industry, change the sales markets. The main task is to ensure the uninterrupted operation of enterprises, wages and work for the workers of these enterprises,” Zakharchenko said.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade of the DPR emphasized 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 political recognition of the republic, our enterprises quite successfully cooperate with countries near and far abroad. In fact, our manufacturers began the process of leaving Ukrainian sales markets in favor of other countries more than two years ago. The state also has some experience in this , and there are business circles,” noted the acting Minister of Industry and Trade of the DPR Alexey 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 truce agreements, firefights continued between the parties to the conflict.

DONETSK, March 1 – RIA Novosti. External management will be 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 Donbass, including deputies of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, blocked freight railway communication with the territory of Donbass not controlled by Kyiv in a number of areas. They stated that, in their opinion, any trade with the self-proclaimed republics was illegal. The blockade led to interruptions in the supply of anthracite coal, which is mined in the territories of Donbass not controlled by Kyiv. 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 were forced to stop production.

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

Ultimatum from the self-proclaimed republics

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

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

At emergency meetings on Monday, parliamentarians of the DPR and LPR adopted relevant changes to the legislation. They allow the introduction of external management at enterprises of Ukrainian jurisdiction that do not register 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 under Ukrainian jurisdiction to external management. The LPR emphasized that the employees of these enterprises will retain their positions.

“The created headquarters does not intend to keep enterprises afloat, but to promote their further development and reorientation towards Russia,” said Vladimir Degtyarenko, Chairman of the People’s Council of the LPR.

Reaction of official Kyiv and the organizers of the blockade

The organizers of the trade blockade immediately stated that they do not intend to stop the action; on the contrary, they plan 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, blocking the last routes where streams of trade in blood still exist,” said the headquarters of activists of the trade blockade.

In Kyiv, the ultimatum of the heads of the self-proclaimed republics was called an attempt to freeze the conflict in Donbass and stated that the coal produced in the territory not controlled by Kyiv 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 Transnistria scenario in Donbass. And who will suffer from this? Ukraine and Ukrainians,” said Ukrainian Prime Minister Vladimir Groysman.

The Ministry for Temporarily Occupied Territories warned that the heads of Ukrainian enterprises who agreed to “nationalization” by the authorities of the DPR and LPR will bear criminal liability “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 agreed and the commission of such actions, the personal heads of these enterprises will be subject to criminal liability,” said Deputy Minister of Ukraine for the Affairs of Temporarily Occupied Territories Georgiy Tuka.

In turn, some managers of enterprises located in 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 that 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 "nationalization" of enterprises

“Nationalization” of enterprises under Ukrainian jurisdiction will only aggravate 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 will be left without work and livelihoods.”

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

“No specific actions were taken to end the blockade. The blockade does not contribute to the return of people and territories, but on the contrary 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 this,” Boyko noted.

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 of Ukrainian jurisdiction will affect the negotiation process to resolve the conflict in Donbass.

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

Representatives of Donbass explain that the decision to introduce external management at Ukrainian enterprises is forced. The first priority is to get them back to work and save jobs. According to the head of the DPR, Alexander Zakharchenko, this will take about two months.

“In a short period of time, we will have to rebuild the industry and change sales markets. The main task is to ensure the uninterrupted operation of enterprises, wages and work for the workers of these enterprises,” Zakharchenko said.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade of the DPR emphasized 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 political recognition of the republic, our enterprises quite successfully cooperate with countries near and far abroad. In fact, our manufacturers began the process of leaving Ukrainian sales markets in favor of other countries more than two years ago. The state also has some experience in this , and there are business circles,” noted the acting Minister of Industry and Trade of the DPR Alexey 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 truce agreements, firefights continued between the parties to the conflict.