Krasnoarmiysk Local Prosecutor's Office has included in the single register of pre-trial investigations the information on the non-payment of wages to miners of the 1/3 Novohrodivska coalmine run by the state-owned Selydivvuhillia enterprise (Donetsk region), the press service of the Donetsk Regional Prosecutor's Office reported on Friday, October 20.

The wage arrears to the workers of the 1/3 Novohrodivska coalmine for August-September 2017 amounted to UAH 3.142 million.

"For this reason, on October 19, 34 workers of the first shift refused to surface and remained underground," the regional prosecutor's office reported.

Criminal proceedings were opened under Part 1, Article 175 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (non-payment of wages).

In addition, the prosecutor's office is in charge of procedural management in criminal proceedings on the non-payment of wages to workers of the Myrnohradvuhillia state enterprise where wage arrears currently reached UAH 59.5 million.

Earlier, Head of the Independent Trade Union of Miners of Ukraine Mykhailo Volynets said that 34 miners of the 1/3 Novohrodivska coalmine in Donetsk region refused to surface on Thursday, October 19, due to non-payment of their wages. Later, he announced the end of the protest after the miners were promised to have their salaries for August and September paid until October 24.