Azovstal, Illich Steel Works asking PGO to open criminal proceedings over theft of metal from Mariupol
Mariupol-based metallurgical plants – Illich Iron and Steel Works and Azovstal of the Metinvest group – have applied to the Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine (PGO) with a request to open criminal proceedings on the fact of theft of metal products belonging to the plants by Russian invaders.
"From open sources, the applicant learnt that representatives of the military groups of the Russian Federation (and persons controlled by them and terrorist groups) that occupied Mariupol are taking out the property of the plants in an unknown direction and using at their own discretion, without legal grounds," the plants said in a statement.
According to them, such thefts have become systemic.
Metallurgical plants said that the facts of metal export are confirmed by the statements of the occupying authorities and collaborators themselves, in particular, about the resumption of the work of the Mariupol port for the export of metal products and grain, as well as the tracking data of the sea vessel RM3 registered in the Russian Federation, which delivered the stolen metal to the port of Rostov-on- Don.
"The damage to the plants from the theft of products amounts to tens of millions of dollars," the plants said.
They are asking law enforcement agencies to enter information about the commission of a criminal offense under Articles 185, 186 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (theft, robbery by the military armed forces and/or other military groups of the Russian Federation (persons controlled by it or representatives of terrorist groups controlled by it, the so-called "DPR" " and "LPR") to the unified register of pretrial investigations, and also to start an investigation and take procedural actions in accordance with Article 55 of the Code of Criminal Procedure of Ukraine.
Earlier, Metinvest said that the Russian invaders were preparing to steal and illegally export from the port of Mariupol metallurgical products manufactured at Azovstal and Illich Iron and Steel Works in the amount of about 200,000 tonnes of metal and cast iron, the cost of which is $170 million.
