While the people of Simferopol celebrated Russia’s annexation of - TopicsExpress



          

While the people of Simferopol celebrated Russia’s annexation of Crimea, 10 minutes’ drive from the city centre on Balaklava Street another Russian invasion was under way – this time of a private business. A group of heavily-armed suspected Russian soldiers in ski masks on Tuesday stormed the Bogdan Avto-Salon, a Hyundai and Subaru dealership in a quiet suburb of the city, taking control of its offices and salesrooms. The men, who later stood guard along the salon’s perimeter fence, refused to identify themselves to reporters and waved them away with guns. Critics of Moscow have been warning for weeks now that Russia’s attacks on Ukrainian military facilities in Crimea were just the start, and that commercial business on the peninsula would be the next target. Events on Balaklava Street suggests they might be right. “It’s clear there’s going to be a new carve-up of property here now that the Russians are here,” said Arzy Selimova, an editor at state TV station Krym. Local businessmen have noted that the dealership targeted in Tuesday’s raid was owned by a partner of Petro Poroshenko, the Ukrainian oligarch, who backs the new government in Kiev. Whatever ends up happening to the Bogdan Avto-Salon, one thing is clear: Crimea’s choicest state assets have already been taken over by pro-Russian forces in the peninsula, and will ultimately be controlled by Moscow. These include Chornomornaftogaz, which pumps oil and gas from the Black Sea, and the Feodosia Oil Products Supply Co, which is one of Ukraine’s main transshipment facilities, capable of transferring crude oil and products from ocean-going tankers on to freight trains.
Posted on: Wed, 19 Mar 2014 05:26:12 +0000

Trending Topics



Recently Viewed Topics




© 2015