You're reading: Several hundred people block administration of coal company in Luhansk region

 Some 300 people who had taken part in a city rally for federalization are blocking the office buildings and structural divisions of Krasnodonvuhillia coal company (Luhansk region) belonging to Metinvest group. At the company's press service Interfax-Ukraine was told that after an April 22 rally in support of federalization and a relevant referendum in the central square of Krasnodon some 100 men of athletic build moved to the square outside of Krasnodonvuhillia headquarters. With their slogans they tried to provoke coalminers returning from work urging them to join the rally.

 By 1800 several hundred people gathered outside of the office building. The protesters stated their economic and political demands, and insisted that Krasnodonvuhillia executives officially permit a visit to the regional department of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) in Luhansk and assign buses for the purpose. In addition, they demanded doubling wages and cancelling labor protection and industrial safety standards introduced at the company.

The press service reports that the rally is continuing. Some 300 people are taking part. “This is less than 3% of the company personnel,” the press service stressed.

Krasnodonvuhillia Genera Director Oleksandr Angelovsky announced that heads of mines and structural divisions continue negotiations with the protesters.

The main activity of Krasnodonvuhillia is the extraction and enrichment of coal. It unites seven mines and mine administrations, two enrichment facilities and service units.

Metinvest is a vertically-integrated mining group which consists of extracting and metallurgical companies in Ukraine, Europe and the United States. Its sales network covers all key international markets.

Metinvest is owned by SKM group (71.25%) and Smart-Holding (23.75%) that jointly run the company.