Why does Ukraine buy coal from militant-held Donbas?

Trade across de-facto border with uncontrolled territory preserved for several important reasons, preventing more citizens joining the military conflict or anti-Ukrainian protests, that's according to Mykhailo Bno-Airiian, head of the department of European Integration at the Ministry of Energy and Coal Industry in Ukraine.

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The official has told Ukraine Today that workers' salaries generated by trade allow them to feed their families and that payments are only made to accounts officially registered in Ukraine.

Bno-Airiian also said that great strides had been taken to diversify gas imports away from the traditionally dominate Russia.

See unian.info’s video section for more of the latest news from Ukraine in video from Ukraine Today, Ukraine’s 24-hour English-language news channel.

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