A British businessman’s luxury home in Donetsk came under attack from a criminal rebel gang yesterday.
Richard Spinks, chief executive of Active Energy, a UK-listed exporter of Ukrainian wood products, had already fled to west Ukraine with his family. Yesterday he learned that rebels from the Donetsk People’s Republic were trying to take over their house in a new gated development where a similar home sold for around $6 million last year.
Not long ago the elite development was hit by artillery fire. He saw smoke and flames pouring off a neighbour’s house on Sky News.
Like his wealthy neighbours Mr Spinks is now in negotations with one group of rebels for how much they should pay to “guard” the development from rival groups of rebels. “It’s a protection racket,” he said.
The ceasefire agreement has entrenched the rebels’ position. “My house is now in the DNR full stop. There’s my house completely gone.”
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He has no confidence that the ceasefire will hold though. “Trust me, I’ve lived in this region for 23 years and know it backwards. I’m telling you, this is not the end [of the insurgency].”