Life in the Donbass as a whole came in the pre-war status. In Lugansk national Republic (LNR) opened fitness centers, factories, sell and buy apartments. However, with money from local big problem: the salary and social payments barely make it to Russian low, and the authorities hastily looking for new sources of revenue. Who and why goes in today’s Lugansk from Russia and from abroad, were dealt with “Газета.Ru”.
Today Luhansk is almost indistinguishable from pre-war, except that the tram is not allowed. Crowded streets, restaurants and fitness centers, have virtually disappeared unshaven men with guns. Nearly a year as the self-proclaimed Republic moved into rubles. During this time, Russian steel and the prices of the goods imported by contraband (most often) or double-rastegaeva. At the same time wages and pensions are not barely up to the Russian at least. The authorities LNR frantically looking for new sources of cash by going to the nationalization of urban markets.
While large enterprises, the owners of which sit in Kiev, and the property of the oligarchs here, to refuel the state to pick up is not solved.
“How to “Izvarino”?” — the most popular question in the Luhansk citizens living in two States. Controlled from the people’s Republic checkpoint “Izvarino” cars and pedestrians fall into Russian Donetsk, which recently culminated in the trial of Ukrainian pilot Nadezhda Savchenko. To guess whether before the border a queue of several hundred cars or not, is almost impossible, sometimes in traffic half a day to spend. People delays and increased more recently the control on Lugansk checkpoint. If you had here was just checking the availability of documents, now drive passport data into a computer database. Locals say that a similar procedure takes place on the border between LPR and the DPR, instead of a single two self-proclaimed Novorossia Republic decided to classified.
In Lugansk peaceful atmosphere, shops and markets opened fitness centers and luxury restaurants.
Every week, there are performances at the Russian drama theatre, Philharmonic society, Ukrainian musical-drama theatre “On Defense”, the poster of which continue to print in the Ukrainian language.
The most popular is the supermarket “the people” — ex-Ukrainian network of ATB. This is the only LNR in nationalized big business, which, according to rumors, now controlled by the family of the head of the Republic Igor Carpentry. On the shelves of some “Folk” next to the price tags are the labels “Made in LC”. Of such products: bread, pasta, sauces and sunflower oil. All Lugansk Ukrainian products even the packaging, under the slogan of mayonnaise “Lubava “From shiraho heart!” (Ukr. “wide of heart”) in black marker crossed out the word “Ukraine” and pasted the sticker “LNR”. The prices are comparable to Russian.
A packet of pasta — 25 rubles, packet of buckwheat — 52 rubles, bread — 15-20 rubles, sausage — 420 rubles, liter bottle “made in LC” sunflower oil — 72 rubles.
Zorya joke that very soon “People” will be a budget competitor: one of the Central streets hangs a banner that copies the sign of the Russian trading network “Magnet”, the name of which is attributed to “plus”. The supermarket is expected to open in may.
While the most popular are the point of currency exchange and cashing of Bank cards. Using the Internet for 5% of the amount you will have to pay at least Ukrainian, though Russian payment system. The second most popular line of business is passenger transportation. The facades of the houses and the stop plastered with ads with routes. According to them, more and more popular among people living in several States of the Luhansk team are all Ukrainian regions, although often there are also buses to Moscow.
Market best seller — cigarette. Prices on popular brands comparable to the Russian: “Donskoy Tabak” — 30 rbl., Winston — 90 rubles., L&M — 75 rubles Sellers admit that almost all goods imported from Ukraine, and tobacco products adjacent DNR somehow seized control authorities. Like other products, cigarettes are often smuggled imported. It just so happens in located on the border of the Donbass before the war. This allows local entrepreneurs to somehow survive, otherwise you have to pay twice for the customs clearance when the goods from China or Europe comes to Ukraine / Russia, and local authorities — when importing into LC. As the prices for two years, jumped in a few times, and wages have become even less to buy for the money people can not do anything.
Traders take the risk of smuggling, to somehow to maintain turnover.
The market in Lugansk today one of the few areas where turn real money. Therefore, the authorities LNR has initiated the full nationalization of the retail trade network. The self-proclaimed leadership of the Republic refers to “uncivilized view” and the lack of fire safety current market.
“Yes, we are for the independent Ukraine are accustomed to see it. But since we are building in our Republic all over again and do it together with the people, and let us to this question — the situation with the markets — let’s start to go really well,” he said at a meeting of the leaders LNR Irina Tazman.
For ordinary entrepreneurs, the reasons for the apparent nationalization: the government takes under the financial control of the industry in which you can easily get cash.
While large industrial enterprises, such as Alchevsk iron and steel works, the management LNR to nationalize in no hurry.
The most comfortable conditions in the LC have been created for civil servants and various departments. Periodically on the “separatist” side, run across police officers or emergency, every case is actively replicated in the media. But often this choice is motivated not so much by love of the “Russian world” as a stalemate economic situation in Ukraine.
“I have a salary of 15 thousand rbl. a Little, but the Ukrainian colleagues get 2-3 thousand hryvnia (about 6-7 thousand rbl. — “Газета.Ru”), although prices there have also surged. Someone nostalgic of the Ukrainian past, but they don’t understand: Ukraine is already different, there’s still tighter tightened belts”, — confessed the officer of the Ministry. With excitement tells how in the summer of 2014 returned from the Crimea where took out a family, almost in besieged Lugansk. Crossing posts with rampaging thugs of the “Right sector” (banned in Russia), has beaten “the way back” — the future as part of Ukraine does not see.
Still more hospitable than Ukrainian specialists in the young Republic welcomed foreigners of different, sometimes of very doubtful reputation at home. In early March, the Parliament called for the General Secretary of the trade Union Federation of Austria Oliver Joniskis and member of the Presidium of the world Federation of trade unions, Paolo Leonardi. A month ago, LPR opened in the office of international information Agency DONi, which is headed by Finn Janus Putkonen. Ukrainian media have learned that Putkonen is not a professional journalist, he worked as Director belonging to his father theatre in Porvoo. Finnish colleagues critical to say about the editor-in-chief DONi, calling its resources “one of the fake media”.
Together with Ukrainian civil servants and foreigners with a dubious reputation in LNR the Russians are going.
No, not “polite men” or militias, and the victims of the banking system running in the “gray zone” from collectors and bailiffs. While these are isolated cases, but with the growing crisis in Russia is increasingly desperate debtors will seek the way of deliverance from persecution banks. To find a person in Rovenky Anthracite or Russian collectors virtually impossible, and large metallurgical enterprises can find a job with a salary comparable to the Russian province.
Maybe that’s why we came home, and housing market LNR: listings of apartments is on the strip in the Republican newspaper “XXI century”. Although the apartments and sold only for dollars, the price is much lower. 23 meter Studio in Alchevsk — $2.8 thousand (about 190 thousand rbl.), 60-meter two-bedroom apartment in the center of Lugansk will cost $20 million (1.3 million rubles).
Another natural difference of Lugansk in the second year of the independence of the General apathy of people from politics. Today, on the outskirts of Donetsk, heard explosions, but the normal life in the Republic under construction will not name. With the average salary in the private sector 5 thousand roubles and pension, starting from 1,8 thousand rbl., to survive with prices very difficult. Save, like the overwhelming majority of Russians in the 1990s, the flea market, where you can sell old clothes fit, and austerity — on bread and cabbage. Therefore, don’t care about politics.
