Ukrainian Minister: Russia exports tons of coal worth millions of dollars from Donbas
Russia exports from the territories of the Donbas, which are controlled by pro-Russian militants, amount to almost 2.8 million tons of anthracite coal worth $288 million annually, stated the Minister for Temporarily Occupied Territories and Internally Displaced Persons of Ukraine Vadym Chernysh.
“Russians are trying to find sources to support the occupation administration and the occupied territories… They take Ukrainian coal and Ukrainian gas from the Black Sea shelf, using it to support the occupation regime. The Russian Federation illegally exports 2.8 million tons of anthracite coal from the occupied Donbas worth $ 288 million,” Chernysh said.
He added that “Ukraine is aware of Russia’s scheme for smuggling coal illegally mined from a part of the occupied Donbas to the ports of different countries”.
"A number of factors confirm that coal illegally extracted from the occupied Donbas is exported through Russian seaports. For example, the Azov port in Rostov region, from where the ship carrying coal departed before sinking off the coast of Turkey, has increased coal transshipment by 50% in recent years. We witness similar situation in other Russian ports in the area," Chernysh said.