Russian oligarch Alisher Usmanov is interested in Alchevsk Iron and Steel Works, a Ukrainian enterprise earlier seized by Russia-backed militants in the occupied Donbas, according to a Ukrainian MP, coordinator of Information Resistance analytical group Dmytro Tymchuk.

Leaders of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (“DPR”) are failing to revive operations of most of the “nationalized” enterprises in the war-torn area. The lack of a well-developed mechanism for the imports of raw materials and purchase of components to ensure uninterrupted operations at enterprises remain the major challenge, Tymchuk said.

Moreover, militants are facing problems with finding markets for products, primarily in Russia. This results in a shutdown of enterprises and unpaid leaves for workers.

At the same time, a number of mines are negotiating with Russian counterparts on setting up coal supplies to the Russian Federation by trucks. A number of Russian oligarchs were also interested in gaining control over large enterprises in the temporary occupied areas in Donetsk and Luhansk regions with minimal financial costs.

“For example, Russian oligarch Alisher Usmanov (Russia’s 5th richest man in 2017, according to Forbes) is interested in establishing control over Alchevsk Iron and Steel Works, which, after the “nationalization” in the “LPR”, was placed under the management of Russia’s Vneshtorgservice,” Tymchuk wrote on Facebook. (UNIAN/Ukrainian metal)

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