The illegal blockade of the Vynnyky tobacco factory by law enforcement agencies has been going on for 60 days. During this time, no charges have been brought and no explanations have been provided. Channel 24 reports.
Despite this, the plant managed to pay more than UAH 1 billion in taxes to the budget in May and June. This was made possible thanks to the dedicated work of about 170 employees who manually carry out and decorate the finished products.
However, security forces, in particular, employees of the Bureau of Economic Security, unreasonably seize these products, using a scheme where they pose as ordinary citizens and call the police, reporting allegedly illegal goods.
The factory has already succeeded in suing and sending about 20 thousand boxes of tobacco products for sale.
It is shocking that the company has not been given any explanation for the blocking of its work. No charges have been filed. However, ordinary investigators in private conversations admit that they received an order from the top, from Kyiv, to block production.”
The owners of the Vynnyky Tobacco Factory see this situation as an “order” from one of their competitors, who is closely connected to Russian businessman Igor Kesayev. This competitor, according to the factory, cooperates with a new tobacco company with foreign capital that continues to operate in Russia – Philip Morris International.
The same Philip Morris International, whose money is used to produce missiles, fighters, tanks, etc. in Russia. The same missiles that later hit Okhmatdyt and kill children and civilians in Ukrainian cities. After all, more than 10% of Putin’s defense budget is made up of money from tobacco companies such as Philip Morris International, JTI, and others.
The factory also emphasizes that they have not been provided with any explanations for the blocking of their work, and that the Odesa court unlawfully extended the searches and blocking for 30 days. This happened after the Poltava court, which had issued the first search warrant, refused to extend it.
As a result of these actions, the factory is unable to carry out production activities, and employees risk being left without pay. In total, the blocking of work has already disrupted the payment of taxes and payments to the budget by UAH 8.5 billion.
The Vynnyky Tobacco Factory qualifies the actions of the security forces as sabotage and anti-Ukrainian activities under martial law.