The Black Sea quotes Dinu Patriciu Eurasia Center Resident Senior Fellow Anders Aslund on how the conflict between Russia and Ukraine is affecting Ukraine’s economy and businesses:
The message from Moscow to the rebels seems to be “take what you can and behave like organized criminals” argues Aslund. “They are allowed to take over smaller enterprises and state companies, but must leave the big companies alone.”
Most industrial giants are operating at a reduced level or sporadically, when they have the necessary raw materials and can transport their goods through the region’s wrecked infrastructure.
But they are haemorrhaging money. Rinat Akhmetov’s SCM posted a net loss of 1.84 billion USD in 2014. “Akhmetov and the other oligarchs have bled enormously,” says Aslund.