On October 15th, 2014 in Zaporozhye, a group of 100-150 masked individuals with symbolic designation of the “Pravyi Sector” blocked the main entrances of the "Zaporizhstal" Steel Works, jeopardizing the operations of the industrial complex and the livelihoods of thousands of employees.
In particular, transport passages of the Steel Works are blocked, complicating the productive work of “Zaporozhstal” Steel Works. Access for employees and contractor organizations to their workplaces is hindered, resulting in interruptions to equipment and raw material deliveries.
This action is expressly politically motivated. Taking advantage of the prevailing political instability, radical elements are using this incident as a pretext to worsen the situation in the city and the Zaporozhye region. Such destabilizing actions are likely to incite social unrest in the area.
In pursuit of immediate political gains, the uninterrupted operation of the Steel Works is at risk. Consequently, 15 thousand employees of Zaporozhstal could face job losses and a halt in their guaranteed wages, with revenues to all levels of budgets being interrupted. Additionally, the operation of contractor organizations involved in significant ecological modernization projects is also threatened. It should be emphasized that if the operations of the Steel Works are halted, restarting the production process will be extremely challenging.
The General Director of “Zaporozhstal Steel Works” has issued a statement:
“It is very unfortunate when the fate of tens of thousands of people and their families is jeopardized by certain political forces. In the political process, the well-being of a large collective of 15 thousand individuals should not be put at risk. We call on law enforcement agencies to investigate, as this action clearly serves someone’s political objectives. We are open to constructive dialogue and are ready to engage; unfortunately, as of today, the other side is not making any attempts for dialogue. What is occurring now is a clear provocation. If they genuinely want to engage in dialogue, why obstruct access to the Steel Works? All waste treatment facilities of the Steel Works are operating routinely and are meeting all ecological legislative requirements while also implementing a vast ecological program ahead of schedule. The Steel Works is fully transparent and accessible, demonstrating what is being done and invested. The events taking place today are nothing more than a provocation by hired protestors.”
According to a statement from the press secretary of “Pravyi Sector,” Artem Scoropadskiy: “Pravyi Sector is not involved in this action. The party dismisses any involvement in obstructing the activities of ”Zaporozhstal” employees. We do not know who these groups of people are or what their goals are. Our identifiers could have come from anywhere. This may be a provocation aimed at discrediting our organization.”
It should be noted that “Zaporozhstal” Steel Works is one of the few consistently operational enterprises in Ukraine, distinctly maintaining its financial, production, and social reputation. “Zaporozhstal” ensures the economic independence of the state, contributing timely to the budgets of all levels.