Photo from UNIAN
Ukraine is aware of Russia's shady schemes for smuggling coal illegally mined in parts of Donbas occupied by Russian proxies to foreign seaports.
Russia illegally exports from the occupied Donbas some 2.8 million tonnes of anthracite coal worth $288 million annually, that's according to Minister for Temporarily Occupied Territories and Internally Displaced Persons of Ukraine, Vadym Chernysh.
"Russians are trying to find sources to support their occupation administrations and the occupied territories," Chernysh said, according to the ministry press service.
"They take Ukrainian coal, Ukrainian gas from the Black Sea shelf, using it to support the occupation regime. From the occupied Donbas, the Russian Federation illegally exports 2.8 million tonnes of anthracite coal annually, worth nearly $288 million," said the minister.
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He has added Ukraine is aware of Russia's shady schemes for smuggling coal illegally mined in parts of Donbas occupied by Russian proxies to foreign seaports.
"A number of factors confirm that coal illegally extracted and brought from the occupied Donbas is exported through Russian seaports. For example, the Azov port in Rostov region, from where the ship carrying coal departed before sinking off Turkey coast, has increased coal transshipment by 50% in recent years. The situation is similar in the neighboring Russian ports," said Chernysh.