Media: Russian state agency mediates delivery of iron ore to the separatist-held territories of eastern Ukraine
According to RBC news agency, the Federal Agency for State Reserves (Rosrezerv) of the Russian Federation has become an intermediary in the supply of iron ore to the metallurgical companies "Metinvest" and "ISD” that were seized by the separatist authorities, in order for Russian mining companies to avoid any possible claims.
Rosrezerv is a state agency that is responsible for ensuring the mobilization needs of the Russian Federation, and also provides humanitarian assistance. Practically all data about it is classified as State Secrets.
In the separatist-held territory of Donbas, there are three large metallurgical enterprises. These are the Yenakiyeve Metallurgical Plant, Donetskstal, and Alchevsk Iron and Steel Works. These plants need iron ore for their operation, which previously came from the Ukrainian territory. Due to the transport blockade, deliveries of the raw materials to these plants were stopped, and the enterprises were seized by the separatists.
Russia is trying to prevent the shutdown of these important industries. Some Russian metallurgical holdings have been recommended to consider the possibility of delivering iron ore to the Ukrainian enterprises in the separatist-held areas of the Donbas. In particular, Alisher Usmanov’s Metalloinvest and Alexei Mordashov’s Severstal received such recommendations.
The publication also has information that Andrey Melnichenko’s holding company, Eurochem, is involved in such deliveries. He will ship 15-30 thousand tons of iron ore per month to the Cherepovets-2 station for Rosrezerv. Russian railways have established a 25% discount on the transportation of iron ore from the Cherepovets-2 station in the Vologda region to the Uspenskaya station (Rostov region), a border crossing between Russia and the uncontrolled Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics. It is obvious that from there the ore will go to the separatist-held territories of Ukraine.
The same discount applies to transportation from the Kostomuksha-Tovarnaya station (Karelia), which serves Karelsky Okatysh mining and processing plant, to the border with the territories controlled by the separatists.
Earlier, Metinvest warned of its intention to use all available legal instruments to bring companies involved in the illegal use of its assets in the separatist republics to justice.