Sevastopol, December 18 (PolitNavigator, Alexander Kononov) - The authorities of Sevastopol criticized the Ukrainian fixed-line operator Vega Rinat Akhmetov, who is still working in the city.
The company has blocked access to Russian numbers for 28 thousand Sevastopol residents, said Vadim Dvoryanenko, head of the communications and information technology department of Sevastopol.
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Vega subscribers are now switching to Sevtelecom networks - this company started working after squeezing out another Akhmetov company, Ukrtelecom, from the market.
“The main reason for disconnecting them from the backbone and networks of Sevastopoltelecom is that, calling a spade a spade, Vega stole Sevastopoltelecom’s traffic and illegally received money for it. Therefore, we were forced to take this measure. Law enforcement agencies are already reviewing all materials. This was discovered two months ago,” the official said.
However, it is not possible to reconnect all Vega subscribers - the process is “online”, but only if “there were and are Sevtelecom networks.”
“Unfortunately, in Sevastopol there are areas and houses where Sevtelecom cables are not physically in the cable duct, so even if we want to, we cannot switch subscribers. But laying them is long and expensive. Therefore, I ask those whom we are physically unable to switch over to be patient for a week maximum. We will resolve this issue,” the head of the communications department promised, however, he did not explain how he intended to resolve it.
Exactly two months ago, PJSC Ukrtelecom, another operator of Akhmetov, was forced to close its Sevastopol division. The company was then accused of transferring funds to support Ukrainian troops in Donbass. Rallies were held in Sevastopol demanding that the Ukrainian company be deprived of control over communications at the naval base. Now, apparently, it’s Vega’s turn.
Vega is part of the Ukrainian group of companies SCM, 100% of the shares of which belong to Ukrainian businessman Rinat Akhmetov.