One year after the occupation of a part of Donetsk region there is a clear picture of three social layers of the "people's republic" that, in contrast to the bulk of the surviving, feel quite at ease here and are interested in its preservation.
First of all, the categories of such social "parasites" include trade sector workers, mainly product one.
Regardless of social status, food is essential for all and anytime, and with the economic isolation of the region from Ukraine financial speculations and price rising have reached their peak. For example, supplied duty-free products from Russia are sold at deliberately inflated prices, since there is no alternative from Ukraine, therefore there is no choice. Another objective component of pricing is transportation of the goods from Rostov, Kursk, or even Moscow. Of course, the distance affects the final figure on the price tags.
The situation with the quality, especially of sausages, is often simply catastrophic, due to the following scheme.
Suppliers from Russia understand all the tensions in the financial atmosphere of "DPR" and adequately evaluate the purchasing power of the local people. So, as the quality products in Russia are considerably more expensive than analogical ones in Ukraine, plus transportation costs, a simple calculation allows us to understand that for the same sausage to be sold, its price cannot greatly exceed the level of usual Ukrainian prices. So, very often obviously low-quality products are supplied and they get the usual price at the expense of transportation and upcharge of local businessmen but the quality of them is way lower from what would normally be purchased for the same money.
Here arises the confusion with the purchase of goods in rubles and hryvnia. The fact is that most of the products on local markets are from the nearby Ukrainian towns and villages. Because of this, the sellers are extremely reluctant to take Russian rubles.
Here you can see a usual situation when near the Ukrainian price tag of 80 hryvnia there is a price for the same product in the amount of 200 rubles, though the official "republican" rate is 1: 2.
The majority considers it to be willfulness of sellers, however, due to the calculation in rubles and exchange rate differences in Ukraine and "DPR", in reality to gain profit sellers have not multiply not by 2 but by 2.5.
The situation is more complicated in the non-food sphere. There is still the bulk of the goods supplied from Ukraine, and almost corruption schemes at checkpoints hang in the air (as a rule because of the fighting, as in the case with Maryanka), a huge deficit is then created and consumers are ready to offer "any money" just for animal feed, just to get the desired bag. Of course, hardly the "bag" gets to "Donbass ghetto", enterprising businessmen instantly put sky-high price till stabilization takes place, thereby removing the financial cream from patriots of "people's republics".
Another class of local magnates is all sorts of unofficial currency exchange offices, as well as the so-called "Kartochniki" and in general all those who promise to help the unfortunate inhabitants of "republics" to leave these "republics", to withdraw money from a bank card, to issue a certificate or pass for migrant leaving the ATO area. But let’s talk about everything in its order.
Due to the unofficial ban on exchanging hryvnia for rubles in the so-called "Republic Bank", as well as in a number of local "yellow exchangers", it is possible to buy Ukrainian currency only from some persons or "money-changers" on the markets or small squares. Of course, they sell it not at the rate of 1:2, as prescribed by "law of DPR". In reality, they will sell hryvnia at the exchange rate of 4.7-4.8, and possibly lower, depending on the desired amount. Cash in hryvnia is delivered to "DPR" from Ukraine and provides a fabulous income to financial tourists who buy products for rubles already at the rate of 5.0.
Approximately the same scheme works with courteous girls in various small rooms and stalls of Makeyevka, Donetsk, Khartsyzsk offering to cash Ukrainian bank cards.
It is noteworthy that at the beginning of this business "cashing" worked with the interest of 10% but as it was replaced by selling passes and the amount of those who get out of the "zone" increased, the proposal was reduced to 0% on significant amounts, for example 5000 UAH. But the whole trick lies in the fact that you will get cash in rubles at the official exchange rate of 1:2. So, the client will receive 10 thousand rubles instead of 5 thousand hryvnia. The destiny of the withdrawn money from your account is easy to predict: it "falls" on somebody’s account in Dnipropetrovsk, then miraculously is transformed not in 10 thousand rubles, but 11-12, depending on the difference of the currency rate in "DPR" and in a particular point in Ukraine, then the currency circulation is repeated. Less wealthy clients who withdraw a small amount of money are still charged with a huge interest, it is still more profitable than spending the same amount trying to get out of the "DPR" and withdraw the same 1,5-2 thousand hryvnia.
Another "gold mine" of the "republic" is making passes and migrant certificates without leaving home. Pensioners, who haven’t decided how they can get to Ukraine on their own to receive the pension, are offered all the necessary services: 1900 hryvnia and in 15 days you will become the proud owner of the actual residential address somewhere in Kramatorsk and Ukrainian pension, which, however, you will have to withdraw according to the scheme described above. And all this is possible without leaving your flat.
But there are some nuances. After "DPR" established a more or less stable pension system, the number of people who want to receive the same amount in such a way in Ukrainian hryvnia decreased, so the service of migrant certificates are popular only among those who wish to receive a pension in both locations: "DNR" and Ukraine.
Such cases are not so frequent, but even in April because of the confusion in the pension fund, in "DNR" many retirees received "doubled" retirement pensions, believing that this can be a pleasant surprise for unlimited period. Whatever it was, pass services, including electronic, are one of the most profitable business projects "of the republic" today.
Another layer of the Ukrainian society that "skim the cream" from the war are gangsters. "Novorossia" is not only a paradise for speculators and smugglers, but also for the fugitives, who can join "DPR" or just "go into hiding " without fear that the Ukrainian Themis will be able to reach them with her hands.
Anyone who has debt or tax obligations to the Ukrainian banks, enterprises and government agencies, without fear of being issued to the "enemy" state can escape to "DNR" for a more comfortable living.
Another interested party is the clergy of the Orthodox Church of Moscow Patriarchate, that, in fact, was not the only official religion of the "DPR" but the inspirer of the "militia" to do "military exploits for the glory of the Motherland". When there are so many deaths and fears, services of "spiritual rest" are in a huge demand. And they are not free of charge! So, the priests develop the market in full. And after Zakharchenko’s speech that there are only 4 official religions in "DPR": Orthodoxy (represented by the Moscow Patriarchate), Catholicism, Islam and Judaism, a few communities of other faiths were almost thrown out of the "competitive market" and made it free for Moscow churches.
The list of "lucky republic" "militia" is completed by all those who are somehow connected with the state structures of "DNR." The privileges of these people are not to be talked about, they are now law and its guardians. They come up with rules for themselves. The words: "But I fought for you" more often cause silent answer: "Did I ask you for that?"...
Stas Vasin, Donetsk, OstroV