Security Service of Ukraine: Zaporizhya Aluminium Plant deliberately destroyed to serve Russian interests
Investors deliberately destroyed the Zaporizhya Aluminum Plant (ZALK) in the interests of Russian metal producers, the SBU (Security Service of Ukraine) press center reported.
During the pretrial investigation, security services agents established that the only producer of primary aluminum in Ukraine had been deliberately destroyed, with this beginning as early as 2006.
“At first, structures affiliated with Russian businessmen acquired a controlling share of ZALK. In order to implement the deal, between 2006 and 2008 the purchasers formed an organized group with representatives of the Russian company RUSAL, the former leadership of the plant, Ukrainian businessmen and foreign citizens. The perpetrators, using the opportunity to influence the managerial decisions at the plant, ensured the destruction of ZALK’s primary production facilities, under the leadership of the Russian supervisors,” the report states.
According to the report, in 2009 these people organized the cessation of the ore-smelting furnaces and the primary electrolytic production sites, which damaged and subsequently destroyed the equipment.
Two years later, the group’s participants organized the transfer of ZALK’s subsidiary enterprise Glukhov Quartzite Quarry to companies affiliated with RUSAL.
The SBU investigators commented that in 2015, before returning the plant to state ownership, the suspects withdrew and liquidated ZALK’s primary funds, which led to the breakdown of the enterprise’s final production cycle.
In order to complete the destruction of the strategic plant, the perpetrators disassembled the valuable equipment and took it out of the territory, and transferred the liquid equipment of the aluminum rod workshop to companies controlled by Russian business organizations.
According to the experts’ conclusion, the criminal actions caused the state damage amounting to $39 million, and more than 100 million hryvnia.
In accordance with the results of the criminal investigation, SBU investigators have placed nine members of the organized group under suspicion for committing the crimes envisaged by articles 113, 191, 255 and 364 of the Ukrainian Criminal Code.
One of the case subjects, the former director of the factory, is being held in custody. Three Russian citizens are among the suspects.
The investigation is still underway.