"FOOD PACKAGE REWARDS" - THE DONBASS INDUSTRIAL DECLINE BECOMING MORE DRASTIC

Recently in the DPR, an event took place that quite clearly reveals the reality of the situation in the occupied Donbass region. 64 workers of the Zasyadko Coal Mine were rewarded with food packages for their loyalty to the DPR. The presents were given to those miners, who had joined the "Donetsk Republic" movement. This event reveals a great deal about the Socio-Economic reality in the DPR, The fact that support is having to be bought, and the fact that it is bought  with a few boxes of Cereal, Condensed Milk, and Sunflower Oil shows two facts about the DPR’s reality. The first being that these gifts were being given to those who would join a political movement, this alone reveals a lack of organic support for the DPR from it’s working class. And secondly the fact that support was bought for so little could reveal a crisis in the consumer goods market. 

Who would have thought that workers of one of the most successful coal mines in Ukraine, (The average salary prior to the war being 1,200$)  will be happy to have a few boxes of cereal, condensed milk and sunflower oil.

Worth noting is that the Zasyadko Mine is notoriously known as a record-holder in the number of accidents and fatalities. It’s workers operate in some of the most dangerous conditions. The death toll since 1990 is 268, 34 of them had died after the occupation. The most terrible accident in Ukraine's history occurred in the coal mine in 2007 when 101 miners died.

Among the locals the Zasyadko mine workers are called "suicides" after all, such work requires not just physical endurance, but also spiritual strength. the key point is that earlier these people at least had had something to risk it for,  but now they must work for low wages and some food.

And it would seem that the Occupying Administration in Donetsk believes that it is a reason to be proud if such reports occur in local "media", the fact that they use this as a piece to show of their economic success reminds one more of a propaganda stunt pulled by the North Korean regime than that of any other nation in the world. Maybe its purpose is that other people living in the Occupied Donbass, should envy the Food that loyal members of the Donetsk Republic Party receive and seek themselves to support  the primary party in the DPR. But chances that all that join the DR Party will receive food packages is slim unless the DRP needs their vote and which point they can sell their support for some food.

by Denis KAZANSKY