The situation in the eastern port city of Mariupol just got a lot more complicated, as the city that had been the scene of multiple battles between secessionist protesters and the western-backed military saw a new force emerge and seize the entire city in a matter of a day.
Mariupol is now under the total control of steelworkers loyal to Ukraine’s richest oligarch, Rinat Akhmetov, who yesterday issued a statement warning that eastern autonomy would mean economic ruin for the steel industry, and call on his employees to “restore order.”
Thousands of steelworkers took over Mariupol with almost no resistance, and employees of Akhmetov’s steel company, including both factory workers and miners, have moved on several other cities across Donetsk, though in smaller numbers.
Akhmetov’s companies employ some 280,000 people across eastern Ukraine, and he told his employees in no uncertain terms that regional autonomy would cost them export markets in Europe, and potentially put their steel mills at risk.
Though Akhmetov had previously given some lip-service to increased federalization in Ukraine, his business interests now seem squarely centered on ending any hope of self-rule in Donetsk, and with factory workers feeling their livelihoods at risk, he has his own army with an eye on capturing the region back for the pro-West regime.
So if things weren't enough out of control already, now we have oligarchs messing around on their own accord. Beautiful.
So, Akhmetov's mills will produce steel for NATO and its neo-Nazi regime in Kiev?
"As of 2006, 44.6% of Ukrainian steel was produced in obsolescent open hearth furnaces; modernization of plant and coping with rising energy costs are the main challenges to the future of Ukrainian steel." -Wikipedia
An interesting development, this.
Is the "loyalty" of these steel workes to Akhmetov or to fear of losing their jobs? Can we say "coercion"?
I wonder if he will pay for the gas to run his mills?
Or will he expect it FREE from Russia like the rest of the mob in Krev?
According to Vladimir Putin's latest announcement, he will have to pay for natural gas in advance of delivery.
In Russia,Putin had to force oligarchs to work also for the country and not for their own pocket.That was one of the reasons to construct his vertical of power.In Ukraine the oligarchs are not really controlled.So have to see the Ukrainian conflict is not between Russia and EEC (which does not understand many things,naivly believing that people fight for Europe) but also a redistribution of power between oligarchs.A part of them thinking that they will make more morey in a europenanstructure,the other part in a situation closer to Russia.These big accounts do not pay much taxes and do contribute only to themselves.All the actual "democratic" elite are related to them.So new president for european values is a big fairytale.
It just goes to prove that the capitalists were right… you CAN hire one half of the poor to go and kill the other half for you….
Democratic Socialist here. That is really and truly sad, isn't it?
The workers should be turning their weapons on Akhmetov, not on one another!
Feudalism
Best one-word reply EVER! Serious hat tip!
In a word, that's the NWO agenda.
The workers are stupid or uninformed. If the IMF get their hands on the country, their wages will go down and their taxes will go up. Somebody has to pay back the IMF loans and it certainly won't be the oligarchs. Ironically, most of the IMF money should go to Russia to pa the gas bills.
There is no confirmation of this report.