“If these 45 billion were aimed at developing of coal industry of Ukraine, we would not have any problems with providing of coal”, the head of the independent trade union of miners, Mikhail Volynets, told to journalists of IA "Vchasno".
According to the leader of the trade union, Ukraine buys coal abroad at an inflated price and in insufficient quantity.
“Yesterday a second ship with anthracite coal from the United States came to Ukraine, - Mikhail Volynets said. – It was promised to deliver with the first ship 80 thousand tons, but only 62 came. On the second ship 62 thousand tons were delivered. As a result, in warehouses of thermal stations and thermal power plants - 1.5 million tons of coal instead of 3 million tons, as were provided by the plan”.
Mikhail Volynets claims that this winter it will inevitably lead to fan outages. Also, the cost of importing coal is artificially overstated by officials, which will affect its final cost.
“For all of these the consumers will pay, the price can become so high that people themselves will refuse to heat”, - says the leader of the trade union.
At the same time, according to Mikhail Volynets, the mines of Donbas, located on the territory under Ukrainian control, are able to provide Ukraine with coal of all brands.
“The mine named after Surgai in Ugledar has an energy coal reserve of about 100 million tons, - Mikhail Volynets said. - This is one of the newest mines in Ukraine. If in its development to invest about 150 million hryvnias, the mine will not only be self-sustaining, but also be able to make a profit. The Krasnolimanskaya mine has a reserve of about 100 million tons of "Zh" coal, three years ago they produced about 8,000 tons of coal per day and planned to produce 4 million tons of coal per year. But today this enterprise is simply plundered. The mine "Capitalnaya" in Mirnograd has coal reserves of dual purpose”.
According to the leader of the trade union, the practice of buying coal abroad not only kills the coal industry, but also leads to an energy collapse.
“Ukraine is becoming completely dependent on gas, oil, nuclear fuel, and now coal, - Mikhail Volynets says. - Mines in the current year have reduced production by 30%, in the budget for the next year for the development of the coal industry is not laid a penny. If the looting of enterprises will continue and wage arrears for miners will increase, it will lead to a halt of all state mines at the beginning of next year” - Mikhail Volynets summed up.