“Shadow control in the coal industry is leading to debt and destabilizing the energy sector,” MP Volynets said

The situation at Ukraine’s state-owned coal enterprises has reached a critical point, putting the stability of the energy system at risk.

Member of Parliament Mykhailo Volynets made a sharply worded statement in the Verkhovna Rada, pointing to the destructive influence of so-called “overseers” on the industry’s operations.

According to the lawmaker, the dominance of these shadowy handlers has already led to the buildup of multimillion-hryvnia wage arrears for miners and has cast doubt on preparations for the coming winter.

“The country risks being left without electricity,” Volynets warned, pointing to the real threat of a complete shutdown of state-owned mines.

The deputy focused particular attention on the condition of the Chervonohradska central coal preparation plant. He claims that the enterprise is de facto being run by outside individuals whose actions have led to catastrophic consequences.

“Actual control is being exercised by unknown ‘overseers,’ who have brought the enterprise to the brink of disaster,” the lawmaker said during his speech.

Mykhailo Volynets has officially appealed to the government to intervene immediately. He insists that unless order is restored in the state coal-mining sector and corrupt schemes are eliminated, the country’s energy security will come under threat.

It is worth recalling that earlier media reports said that for Ukraine’s frontline regions, which are constantly under enemy attack, the key issue remains the creation of an autonomous energy supply system. Ihor Terekhov, head of the Association of Frontline Cities and Communities and mayor of Kharkiv, said that the solution to this problem would be the introduction of nuclear mini-reactors.