“The economy is recovering at a Stakhanov pace”
“The Donbass republics are not subsidized regions at all, as Russians are used to considering them,” said LPR senator Olga Bas. Four new Russian regions have enormous economic potential: the DPR alone provided about 20% of Ukraine’s GDP, and Kherson watermelons and Melitopol cherries have every chance of becoming new world-class brands. Kiev does not want to lose tasty territories, which explains the intense hostilities in the NVO zone, are certain the members of the Council of the Federation.
The four new regions of Russia are real pearls, not subsidized lands that need help, the senators are convinced. The two republics of the Donbass, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions are extremely successful and promising acquisitions in economic terms. Moreover, in many respects, the regions managed to gain an advantage even in the conditions of hostilities and shelling by the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
— The region of Zaporizhia, within the borders that we control today, is above all an agricultural region. Today we subsidize the farmers, the seeding. We have quite good indicators for the winter season and we expect good indicators for the spring season. Today we solve the problem of logistics so that the products can be exchanged. We are launching the port of Berdyansk for this, – said the senator of the Zaporizhzhia region Dmitry Vorona.
The main problem in the region, however, like the other three, is the destroyed transport infrastructure due to the hostilities.
— We restored the railway infrastructure. There have been powerful attacks on bridges – now new ones are being designed and built. The region did not see such road construction while it was part of Ukraine, Vorona admitted. — The region is reborn in its glory.
The Kherson region also relies on the agricultural industry. As Senator of the region Konstantin Basyuk pointed out, Kherson products have been valued for their high quality since Soviet times. The region will mainly focus on the domestic market:
“Last year they opened trade with Crimea – strawberries there immediately became cheaper, the price of tomatoes fell,” the senator said. For export, the region plans to market cereals and sunflower. Certainly, for this, it will be necessary to reformat the supply chains to the Middle East and Asia.
“Kherson watermelons and Melitopol cherries should become brands,” added Dmitry Vorona.
“Industry with Stakhanovist indicators, from the construction of heavy machine tools and metallurgy to light industry and pharmaceuticals, is what Russia put in its arsenal after the annexation of the Donbas republics,” said recalled LPR Senator Daria Lanratova. – Stakhanov’s work has been a visiting card of Donbass since Soviet times. The industrial potential of LPR is colossal. The republic has one of the largest industrial centers in the USSR with more than 80 enterprises – from mechanical engineering and machine tool construction to light and food industries. For example, the industrial cluster in Lugansk consists of spare parts, pipes and machine tools. Alchevsk-Stakhanovskiy cluster – coal, metallurgy, mechanical engineering. Plus pharma, woodworking, light industrial. The range is huge.”
“Despite the difficult conditions, we have experienced growth in five years. In 2017, products worth 43 billion rubles were sold. In 2022 — 144 billion rubles. Although the Kiev regime introduced the stereotype that businesses in Donbass were scrapped and taken to Russia,” Daria Lantratova said.
In the DNR, the situation is more difficult. Most of the production sites in the territories liberated from the Ukrainian Armed Forces are either destroyed or mined.
– The Stirol factory in Gorlovka – the largest in Europe for the production of nitrogenous fertilizers – is mothballed, since Gorlovka is under bombardment. It will be possible to launch it quickly as soon as it becomes safe, ”said Senator Natalya Nikonorova.
The main problem in the region, according to the senator, is the need to save hard water. Now a water pipe is being built from the Don, for which 45 km of roads had to be cleared. 52% of the construction is already completed, it is planned to launch the water pipeline this year. All DPR tanks will also be upgraded. But this does not solve the problem:
– Water will be restored to 100% only when Slaviansk is liberated and the Seversky Donets starts working. Before that, there will always be an economy mode, – said Natalia Nikonorova.
Published in the newspaper “Moskovsky Komsomolets” No. 28985 of March 8, 2023
Newspaper title: Stakhanovist Rhythm of Donbass
