Mykola Volynko, president of Independent Union of Donbas Miners, speaking at the Ukrainian Crisis Media Center on May 14, 2014.
The ‘separatists’ are starting to force the directors of mines to resign and have been blocking miners from going on their shifts to work. Russia has shut down all but 3 of the 60-something mines in Rostov. “Why do we need you Ukrainians…to bring our wages down even further?” say Russian miners. At the Kalinin mine where they forced the director to resign, they supposedly have had a pay raise and bonuses and people have agreed to work because they have families to feed.
The police are all working hand in glove with the ‘separatists.’ Ukraine is paying them their wages, but they are working for the separatists. So it turns out Ukraine is supporting the separatists? Some miners are ready to strike, but most of them just want to work. But they are being prevented from going to work, and temperatures are rising. The ATO doesn’t seem to be doing anything and the separatists are growing in strength. People are fed up with the chaos and weapons are being handed out by the separatists, positions are being handed out… marauding is on the rise…
My question is this: does the government in Kyiv need the Donbas? We are helpless to influence the situation.
Translated by Lidia Wolanskyj
