SBU accuses two coke plants in Eastern Ukraine of funding DPR
KYIV. Jan 21 (Interfax) - The Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) has stated that the Makiyivkoks and Yasynivsky coke chemical plants (both based in Donetsk region), belonging to Russian citizen Viktor Nusenkis, have come under the control of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR).
"The SBU exposed and eliminated another scheme of financing the DPR through the illegal exportation of coke products. The products were manufactured at two enterprises controlled by terrorists, namely CJSC Makiyivkoks and OJSC Yasynivsky coke chemical plant," a report posted on the SBU website on Wednesday says.
It says the latest batch of coke amounting to 1,000 tonnes was seized by its officers in a seaport. SBU investigators launched criminal proceedings.
"The management of these enterprises maintains close relations with the self-proclaimed prime minister of DPR Zakharchenko. The coke plants were among the first that carried out re-registration and received the certificates of the so-called DPR," the report says.
The sides to the deal used a Mariupol-based company controlled by a suspect in several cases of abuse of power and embezzlement for transportation and forwarding services and customs clearance.
According to SBU, the scheme was used to export coke from parts of Donbas not controlled by Kyiv worth over 100 million hryvni during the year 2014. Out of those receipts 1 million hryvni were paid quarterly to the bank of DPR.
