ArcelorMittal Kryviy Rih Update on Searches by Security Service of Ukraine
ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih reported that as a result of a search of the investigation department of the Security Service of Ukraine in the Dnipropetrovsk region on July 20, a continuous casting machine for blanks No 3 and certain pieces of equipment were seized. On July 20, 18 representatives of the Security Service of Ukraine, a specialist from the State Emergency Service and the Central Inspectorate for Nuclear and Radiation Safety, were allowed on the territory of ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih to conduct a search of the continuous casting machine of workpiece No 3. The inspection team entered the company at 10 am 20 July and left the company at three in the morning on July 21.
The search and investigative actions lasted more than 14 hours. All this time, employees of ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih were forced to accompany the representatives of the Security Service of Ukraine and provide documents and comments upon request. Such actions can legitimately be considered a violation of procedural form.
ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih’s Chief Legal Officer Artem Filipev said “At present, it is not known how long the check of the continuous casting machine-3 and documents from the Security Service of Ukraine will last, and how events will develop further. In connection with the large dimensions of the facility, the UBS staff decided to leave the seized at the place of actual location without the possibility of sealing. At the same time, the object has no means of restricting access by unauthorized persons. Thus, ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih does not have the opportunity to continue construction, modernization, plan production and enter into contracts for the supply of blanks to customers. The project is frozen. Employees of ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih and contract organizations will not be able to carry out further work at this facility.”
Source : Strategic Research Institute