The state-run Centrenergo in late February, purchased for Zmiyivska TPP a batch of anthracite coal allegedly of South African origin from RZhD Logistics, a subsidiary of Russian Railways, according to customs data, LІGA.net reported.
The customs officials cleared the batch on February 26, 2016. The Russian customs declaration states that the coal was mined in South Africa.
Formally, a coal seller was JSC RZhD Logistics, while an actual seller (manufacturer) was a Hong Kong-based Cortex Sales Limited. The journalists did not get information on exact volumes of coal delivered.
Cortex Sales Limited featured in the investigation of Ukrainska Pravda online newspaper as one of Centrenergo`s suppliers of coal from the so-called DPR-LPR, disguised as South African coal. The second supplier is Arida Global (Hong Kong), which according to the publication is controlled by a pro-Russian politician Viktor Medvedchuk.
According to an investigation of liga.net, the legal address of Cortex Sales coincides with the address of another Hong Kong-based company, Braunton Limited – part of ”grey” schemes of fuel supply through seaports involving Kelmer LLC and Peko Trade LLC.
According to the Energy Ministry, about 8.5 million tons of coal was delivered to Ukraine from the militant-controlled areas of Donbas in 2015.
Meanwhile, privatization of Centrenergo, originally scheduled for the autumn of 2014, is being postponed for the second year in a row.
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