The Wall Street Journal: How putin’s henchmen plunder Mariupol
The Wall Street Journal published an article about how putin’s henchmen are getting rich off the looting of Mariupol.
The main points of the article:
▫️ After the seizure of Mariupol, people associated with chechen leader ramzan kadyrov control the Ilyich Iron and Steel Works of Mariupol, from where they export metal products to russia.
▫️ In March, the russian-controlled “authorities” said that 130,000 tons of iron byproducts had been taken from the plant over the preceding six months, potentially worth $16 million.
▫️ The occupiers also dismantled a $220 million production line installed before the war and sent it to russia.
▫️ The materials taken from the plant are used for car production and construction in russia.
▫️ In January 2023, a cargo of metals worth $50,000 was exported from the plant to Uzbekistan.
▫️ Also, one of kadyrov’s associates sells industrial gases from the plant through his company, LLC Technical Materials. Among the company’s clients is the russian space agency roscosmos.
This situation underscores the cynicism of the russian occupation authorities, who, instead of the promised reconstruction of destroyed Ukrainian cities, are plundering them. The resources of these cities are being exploited in the interests of criminals loyal to the kremlin, such as kadyrov, who putin allows to exercise total lawlessness.
