Ukrainian veterans of Russia’s war on Ukraine in the Donbas have launched a blockade of transported from the Russian-occupied parts of the country to government- controlled Ukraine.
The blockade has halted supplies of anthracite coal crom the occupied territories to power plants elsewhere in Ukraine. Half of Ukraine’s 14 coal-fired power stations are designed only to use anthtacite coal to generate power.
According to the government, stocks of coal at power plants are runnning low, and there may be blackouts in certain areas, including Kyiv and Kharkiv, within weeks. The cabinet declared a state of emergency in the energy sector on Feb. 15 because of the dwindling coal stocks.
The activists, however, say Ukraine should not be trading with parts of the country under Russian occupation, as part of the money paid to the mines that supply the coal is taxed by the Russian-installed pseudo authorities, and the revenues raised used to pay pro-Russian fighters.
