Ukraine can do without coal supply from zone of operation in Donbas - energy and coal mining minister
KYIV. Aug 31 (Interfax) - Ukraine has managed to get rid of its dependence on the supply of anthracite coal from the uncontrolled territories in the zone of the military operation, Ukrainian Energy and Coal Mining Minister Ihor Nasalik said.
"Six or seven months ago we could say we could not do without anthracite group [coal] from the zone of the anti-terrorist operation, and now we will compensate for the anthracite group [with supplies] from other countries, regardless of whether there will be supplies from the zone of the anti-terrorist operation or not," he said on 112 television.
The minister said Ukraine can buy coal in the South African Republic, New Zealand, and North America. He said the main supplies come from the South African Republic.
The country's energy balance until recently envisaged the supply of over nine million tonnes of anthracite coal, the minister said. The halt in coal supply from the conflict zone in Donbas in May-June was associated not only with military action and the lack of rolling stock, but also an attempt to show Ukraine's dependence on energy. However, the Energy and Coal Mining Ministry was able to prevent a collapse of the energy system and rolling power cuts by generation and power grid modernization.
"If we don't receive coal from the anti-terrorist operation zone now, we will do without it," Nasalik said.
