Belarusian authorities might have not recognized the so-called Donetsk and Luhansk republics, but they are de facto making large supply of goods to Russian-controlled separatists.
As reported before, Belsat journalists were investigating Belarusian companies’ delivering meat, dairy products, chocolate, alcoholic beverages to Donetsk and Luhansk. After the publication, some people who work for trade enterprises have contacted Belsat TV.
According to person who wants to remain anonymous, in 2015 Belarusian manufacturers of cosmetics and household chemicals started trading directly with DPR and LPR. They wanted to compensate for losses caused by a sharp decline in demand on the Russian market.
“The payments were made in Russian rubles or other currencies. Nearly always there were advanse fees, often through offshore companies in Cyprus,” said the source.
Well-known Belarusian companies were involved in the trade with separatists took part. Belita-Vitex, Belkosmex, Modum and “Florealkosmo sold cosmetics; Barysau-based Barkhim and Asipovichy-based Solntse- washing powders and other household chemicals.
Businessmen, who pay taxes to pro-Russian militants, sent orders for goods to Belarus, received invoices, transferred money – often using Cypriot accounts – and collected all they had ordered on the day appointed.
“As a rule, they pick up several orders. A truck with Russian munber plates goes, for example, to Belita-Vitex, then to Belkosmex, then it is loaded up at Barkhim and drives to Luhansk through Russia. There is a Luhansk address on CMRs,” the source told Belsat.
it is beyond argument that Belarusian border guards did see these CMRs and other documents for the goods. All the Belarusian suppliers involved know about the practice of collecting the goods ordered. But they refuse to talk to journalists under various pretexts. At the same time, Luhansk residents are invited to come and buy Belarusian products.
Belarus’ trade with temporarily occupied territories does not break international law, but it is the breach of the law of Ukraine, lawyer Uladzimir Yavorski says.
“It is a question of recognition of these territories. If you trade with them, you recognize them, which triggers Ukraine’s reaction,” the expert says.
“If this information is confirmed, Ukraine is highly likely to put these companies on its sanctions list. This means that they will not be able to sell their products to the territory of Ukraine. Ukraine may give the information to the European Union. The EU will decide whether such enterprise will be blacklisted,” adds Mr Yavorski.
But neither the Belarusian companies nor the country’s leadership seem to have assessed these risks.
“It makes no difference to Belarusian companies to whom they sell their goods, even to the evil one – provided that they pay in currency. Every month executive committees want to see good trade performance. They do not think of any sanctions and consequences,” said another source in the trade sector.
It is crucial that Belarusian authorities should considering which market is the most important to them – Ukraine and the EU or Donetsk and Luhansk.
Yaraslau Stseshyk, belsat.eu
