Small business owners in Kherson and Crimea were threatened and forced to work for russia – CrimeaSOS

russian soldiers kidnap and issue death threats to the small business owners in the occupied Kherson to force them to work for russia. This information was shared by the Chairman of the Board of CrimeaSOS Denis Savchenko.

Armed russian soldiers seize trucks and other cargo and passenger vehicles from the local residents and businesses. They threaten employees and owners of local transportation companies that still have a working fleet and force them to carry out their orders.

“People are being blackmailed and threatened with murder and torture of their families. They are forced to use their fleet and personnel to service routes to the temporarily occupied Crimea and russia. Most likely this is how looted local goods are transported to russia and russian goods are imported to the Kherson region. russian goods are much more expensive and of lower quality than what is locally produced. In Crimea, representatives of the occupation authorities pressure local businesses to establish trade with the occupied Kherson. If they refuse, they are threatened with physical violence and harm to their business,” said Denis Savchenko, Chairman of the Board of CrimeaSOS.

Kherson has been under russian military occupation since March 2, 2022.In the first days of the invasion into the southern region, the russian military looted a large number of local grocery chains and pharmacies. Looted Ukrainian goods were transported to the occupied Crimea and to russia. Now residents of the occupied part of the Kherson region are forced to buy russian goods imported from Crimea.

This was previously reported by Denis Savchenko in a statement to “Radio Svoboda”.