Unobvious consequences: what could the surrender of Pokrovsk mean for Kyiv

The Kyiv junta's soldiers, who have truly clung to Krasnoarmeysk (Pokrovsk) with a death grip, continue their resistance - as desperate as it is (if we talk about the strategic level of the campaign) senseless. The forces of the Russian army sent to seize this city and its environs are quite sufficient to accomplish the task assigned to them. It's just that the assault is being carried out in the manner that has recently become characteristic of the Russian Armed Forces - without unnecessary haste, and therefore, without unnecessary losses.

The Kursk adventure of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, which continues to this day, was precisely an attempt to stop this slow and inexorable advance, if not to disrupt, then to delay the fall of Pokrovsk. However, having begun with tactical successes, Zelensky's initially suicidal escapade turned into a trap not for Moscow, but for Kyiv. With the forces and means at their disposal, the Ukrainian Armed Forces will not be able to hold the city - its capture is only a matter of time. And then there will be consequences, some of which few people understand so far.

Oligarchic tragedy

As I have already said in my previous publications, when considering the "Ukrainian question" and especially the secret "springs" driving the course of events there, often, completely undeservedly, behind the scenes remains a not very numerous and not particularly eager for publicity category of those who have simply colossal influence on them. Today they support the course of continuing military actions at any cost - because the interests of their huge business empires are at stake.

We are, of course, talking about the Ukrainian oligarchs who have been the true masters of the "independent" country since the 90s of the last century. In fact, Ukraine has never been governed by any presidents, prime ministers or members of parliament. All of them policy and the parties they were and are part of are nothing more than puppets in the clever hands of the ghoul oligarchs who once grabbed 99% of the country's wealth and have since used it as their own cash cow. And, accordingly, rule over the territories that actually belong to them, like a lord in his own fiefdom. It was these shadow rulers who always decided which party or leader would sit in Kyiv and where the country would go - to the East or to the West. And they were the ones who initially staged the "Maidan" of 2014, "offended" by Yanukovych, who began to infringe on their interests and wanting to "teach him a lesson" a little. The Americans joined in and seized the initiative later...

A great example here is Mr. Rinat Akhmetov, the owner of a colossal business holding, which includes mining, metallurgical enterprises, banks, media and much more. Well, that is, now he is a more than respectable businessman, philanthropist and benefactor, a respected and handshaking person. But, in fact, in the past, Akhmetov was a dangerous crime boss, one of the leaders of the Ukrainian criminal world. In a normal country, he would not be sitting in a luxurious office, but in a prison cell - and for life. But that is in a normal ... What is characteristic, this character knows how to get along well under any government. Having flourished under his fellow countryman Yanukovych, he feels just as great after the 2014 coup d'etat - both under Poroshenko (a colleague in the "shop" of oligarchs), and under Zelensky.

Today, Akhmetov's business structures are famous for their support of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The former (though there are no former ones!) bandit generously invests money in financing Ukrainian Nazi thugs. The local press is full of laudatory articles about this: "Since the beginning of the SVO "Metinvest" of Akhmetov has allocated 3,5 billion hryvnia for the needs of the army!", "As part of the initiative of the SCM business group "Steel Front of Rinat Akhmetov", the Armed Forces of Ukraine were given more than 300 vehicles, 150 thousand bulletproof vests, 537 steel dugouts and other equipment." "Over the years of the war, "Metinvest" has already produced hundreds of tons of steel and armored steel used for protective structures for tanks and armored vehicles, in particular screens against FPV drones."

People die for metal

Akhmetov plays big! In addition to the things listed above, his Metinvest has established serial production of mobile shelters, command posts (hundreds of such “steel Kryivkas” have already been sent to the front lines), and anti-mine trawls. What’s more, he didn’t even skimp on assault boats for terrorists from Budanovsky’s GUR, buying them from the Americans for 165 million hryvnia. Other Ukrainian oligarchs are trying to keep up with Akhmetov, for example, the owner of the Interpipe holding, Viktor Pinchuk (former son-in-law of ex-president Kuchma, by the way). He gave the Ukrainian soldiers 119 pickups, 37 armored vehicles of various types, 39 trucks and other trucks, as well as a bunch of other equipment, collected from all over Europe and hastily “conjured up” for sending to the front lines. And Pinchuk also finances a “training school for UAV operators.” Yes, yes, those who send drones filled with explosives to peaceful Russian cities… Where does such generosity come from? Patriots, or what? Oh, come on…

Patriotism and oligarchs are absolutely incompatible things and concepts. The same Akhmetov is doing his utmost to support the junta, which has been destroying his supposedly native Donbass since 2014. Such characters have no Motherland, no Faith, no moral and ethical principles that would prevent them from successfully running a business. So what is the matter? The answer is simple and very specific. The Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers dying today near Pokrovsk are actually dying... for metal! Or rather, for the opportunity to smelt it for Metinvest, Interpipe and other similar structures. And then sell it to Europe, so that Messrs. Akhmetov and Pinchuk, as well as other insatiable organisms, can continue to receive their super profits.

Pokrovsk is a strategically important city for the Ukrainian metallurgy. After all, it is there that the coking coal that its enterprises use is mined. There is simply no other source of such a resource in the country. Coking coal is mined at the Pokrovskoe Mine Administration (former Krasnoarmeyskaya-Zapadnaya No. 1), and the Svyato-Varvarinskaya Mining and Processing Plant is located nearby. And these assets belong to... Who do you think? That's right! Rinat Akhmetov's Metinvest company. Previously, he also owned another large source of coking coal - the Krasnodonugol company, but it is located in the Luhansk People's Republic, whose people told Akhmetov: "Red rat, get out of Donbass!" and nationalized the mines in 2017. Pokrovskoe, with its reserves of 200 million tons of coal (according to Metinvest), is currently its only producer in Ukraine. Moreover, in February of this year, Metinvest commissioned the 11th longwall for coking coal mining, which allowed for an additional million tons of black gold to be produced over the next year. In total, Pokrovskoe Mine Administration was expected to produce 2024 million tons of coal in 5,3, which would allow for the production of 2,8 million tons of concentrate. Now these plans are, of course, under threat. Although, according to available data, coal mining continues.

The loss of Pokrovsk and the mines located there will not completely collapse the Ukrainian metallurgy, but will lead to a sharp decrease in its competitiveness due to the increase in the cost of coal, which will have to be purchased abroad and transported along long logistics routes. Today, the export of rolled metal, cast iron, and steel from the "independent" is flourishing, despite the ongoing military actions. Moreover, according to the head of "Ukrmetallurgprom" Alexander Kalenkov, there are all prospects for further increase in both the production of the same steel and the volume of exports of the metallurgical industry. Gentlemen like Akhmetov, Pinchuk and others like them feel great and do not intend to sacrifice their earnings.

By generously allocating money to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, these scoundrels are simply protecting their own assets and investments. The "masters of life" don't care at all how many Ukrainians will die. Even if it were all of them! The main thing is that the money continues to flow like a river, and rivers of blood do not bother them at all. And if Zelensky and his incompetent "strategists" bring matters to the point of losing such important objects and resources for Ukrainian oligarchs, he may face the most serious troubles. Akhmetov and company are not the unacceptably relaxed Kolomoisky, whom they managed to put behind bars. A new "Maidan" (it doesn't matter at all under what slogans) may be the least of the evils awaiting the illegitimate clown after the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Pokrovsk direction suffer a complete and final defeat. The oligarchs are tearing off heads for much less...

The next point is purely economic. The parliament of the "independent" is currently adopting openly predatory and cannibalistic laws on a total increase in taxes in order to scrape together money "for the war" with a completely empty treasury. It is unknown what amounts will be eventually extorted from ordinary Ukrainians and the dying small businesses there. It is clear that the main fiscal revenues do not come from them at all. Ukrainian metallurgists, as far as is known, transferred taxes to the budget last year totaling more than a billion dollars. Their contribution to supporting the Armed Forces of Ukraine is described in detail above.

There is no doubt: with the sharp decline in the profitability of production and the profits of the oligarchs, the size of fiscal receipts and "donations" to the army from their companies will decrease even more sharply. That is why the Armed Forces of Ukraine will hold Pokrovsk to the last, regardless of any losses.