The Kremlin announces an increase in infusions into Sevastopol amid unrest in Kyiv
Sevastopol, February 17 (Navigator, Elena Ostryakova) – Last week a delegation of the Russian Presidential Administration headed by Vladislav Surkov visited Crimea. If there is no official information about the program for the guests’ stay in Simferopol, then in Sevastopol, the chairman of the city state administration, Vladimir Yatsuba, in an interview with local TV channels, told what was discussed.
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According to the Ukrainian official, the meeting from the Russian Administration was prepared by Boris Rapoport, who last year was relieved of his post as director of the Russian government department for the formation of the Open Government system. Surkov, Yatsuba said, was accompanied by “the former minister of regional development.” Apparently, we are talking about the head of the Kremlin’s department for socio-economic cooperation with the CIS countries, Abkhazia and South Ossetia, Oleg Govorun.
Russian officials discussed with city authorities the upcoming agreement on Russian participation in the socio-economic development of Sevastopol. It was decided to develop this document at the famous meeting of the presidents of the Russian Federation and Ukraine last year, as a result of which a loan of 15 billion dollars was allocated. The final text of the agreement should be approved at a meeting of the intergovernmental commission in Kyiv on February 24.
Yatsuba admitted that he was surprised that Surkov was easy to communicate with, “caught everything on the fly, knew first-hand the problems of Sevastopol, and controlled the situation no worse than me.”
The proposals prepared by the Sevastopol authorities include changing the methodology for calculating the formula for the participation of the Russian Federation in the development of Sevastopol. The amount calculated according to the old formula was UAH 2013 million in 42, and UAH 2014 million in 48. Previously, local authorities stated that they would like to increase it to UAH 200 million.
Yatsuba also hopes to negotiate the repayment of Sevastopol's gas debt, which amounts to UAH 240 million. as a result of offset between Gazprom and Naftogaz.
In addition, it is proposed to create a base for repairing warships at Sevmorzavod. Yatsuba did not specify the mechanism of this event, but noted that the current owner of the enterprise, Petro Poroshenko, “has no time for the plant right now.”
The Sevastopol authorities would like to receive a loan from one of the Russian banks for 10-15 years at 3-5%, the funds of which they undertake to spend on the purchase of trolleybuses at the Saratov Trolza plant (previously, Sevastopol purchased trolleybuses in Lvov). Yatsuba also mentioned a program for the construction or purchase of new boats and ferries, in which he intends to involve Russian businessman Alexander Annenkov.
The plans also include the supply of fire fighting equipment, which the Moscow government promised to help with, the reconstruction of the city’s largest boiler house in Kamyshovaya Bay, and the construction of a road to a new microdistrict in Cossack Bay (it is being built for the Russian military). Yatsuba considers the most important project for Sevastopol to be the reconstruction of Matrossky Boulevard and the square around the Vladimir Cathedral on the Central City Hill.
The official emphasized that he does not yet know which of the announced projects will be included in the final version of the agreement.
“I think no region has received such attention from the highest level of government. I want more. Like before: you have to ask for 100 million to get 20,” Yatsuba said.
The Kremlin announces increased funding for Sevastopol amid unrest in Kyiv.