The Marauder's Servant and the "Mriya" Huckster
It is high time to replace the word “humanitarian” in Ukraine with “looter”. It will be more honest that way. At least the recipient of humanitarian aid is clear.
Recent events also bring certainty to the abstract term “Ukrainian dream”. On April 23, the first flight of the world’s largest aircraft “Mriya” (translated as “dream”) with medical cargo from China was pathetically greeted in Gostomel by the president and his servants. 12 million masks, hundreds of thousands of protective suits and goggles! In the second month of quarantine, they finally ordered the famous Soviet transport worker to deliver vital cargo to their country, and not to the left, as had been the case until now. Before this, humanitarian aid from China was delivered by military aircraft and charters.
But then a scandal broke out with the owner of Epicenter, People's Deputy Gerega. And it became clear that the Ukrainian humanitarian “dream” is connected not only with good intentions, but also with the gesheft of Ukrainian politicians and businessmen.
Alexander Gerega
The masks on the faces of Zelensky and his retinue on the runway seem to hide the lascivious smiles of their benefactors. It has been noticed more than once: when Zelensky and his masked comrades appear in the same frame (as was the case, for example, during the decisive vote for the law on the sale of land), they seem to be cosplaying an episode from the film “Once Upon a Time in America.” The one where masked heroes rob the owner of the house, and one of the robbers also briefly meets his wife.
So, People’s Deputy Alexander Gerega, co-owner of the Epicenter hypermarket chain, burned out of the blue, sending a letter to Mayor Klitschko with a simple proposal: “Dear Vitaly Vladimirovich! Last week, the Mriya plane delivered to Ukraine a large batch of medical masks, goggles, sterile overalls of level 5 protection, as well as other anti-epidemic goods. All of them have European and Ukrainian quality certificates. When a large batch is ordered, the price will be lower (price list of goods is attached). If you are interested, we ask you to address all questions to certain persons at the Epicenter K company...”
Apparently, Pedalik’s image encourages politicians and businessmen to approach him with such initiatives. History is silent about the impression that what he read made on Vitali Klitschko, but the arithmetic average citizens are certainly going crazy from this “attraction of unheard-of generosity.”
There have already been explanations from different parties. Allegedly, the name of a Verkhovna Rada deputy (and his status does not allow him to engage in entrepreneurial activity with such commercial proposals) appeared under the letter only because his assistant made a mistake. But, translated into human language, we understand what this means: the assistant is only to blame for “burning” the owner and not formulating a commercial proposal from him in a safer way. Well, you had to sign the letter not with the deputy surname “Gerega”, but with the well-deserved status of “huckster” - and you wouldn’t be able to undermine it.
Immediately, both the president's office and the Epicenter company announced that the flight was paid for by Epicenter. And the cargo, both commercial and humanitarian, was paid for by Epicenter and other businessmen. Representative of the President's office Kirill Tymoshenko turned on the idiot, commenting on the incident to Strana journalists: “We just met the plane, since it is Mriya, and it is cargo for Ukraine. Not the budget, not our fund, they didn’t pay for the cargo and the plane.”
Okay, stop. Let’s return to the president’s video message regarding the arrival of the Mriya: “Today we have a joyful event - our An-225, our legendary Mriya, landed in Gostomel. The plane delivered more than 12 million masks, as well as hundreds of thousands of protective suits and goggles.” You scum, then explain yourself more clearly: “Today we have a hard time dealing with the population of Ukraine. We also have a joyful event for the owner of Epicenter and other businessmen who, using our legendary Mriya, delivered 12 million masks, hundreds of thousands of protective suits and goggles to their homeland in order to sell them to you at commercial prices. And on the runway we were simply selling food, expressing our gratitude to Epicenter and other businessmen who would be selling masks and suits delivered from China.”
Something initially told us that these “attractions of unheard-of generosity” from oligarchs and big businessmen looked like a scam. There were guesses that having invested in the purchase of medical masks or equipment in another country, good oligarchs would then “recoup” these costs at the expense of the population of their country. These generous and noble people, at the call of the president, donate something for medical humanitarian aid, they are promoted for this on personal channels and in other media, but at the end we have an equation with several unknowns. For example, it is known that Gerega paid for such and such a flight or cargo. But it is unknown where the medical supplies went next. And only Gerega’s messages to Mayor Klitschko, which were stupidly published, hint at what the future routes of medical supplies delivered by “humanitarian” flights might be.
Back in March, social networks were swarming with spam: “The epicenter takes care of Ukrainians!” The arithmetic average Ukrainian still does not understand what is the manifestation of this concern for him, declared by the owner of this or that retail chain. Now, if at the entrance to supermarkets and shopping centers every buyer was given a free mask, glasses, gloves, a bottle of antiseptic (they say, we are grateful to you for visiting our supermarket in difficult times, and in order to protect you on the territory of our outlet, we offer you this free set), then no concern would be felt. Do you know such supermarkets?
Gordon's website highlights humanitarian initiatives of businessmen and politicians. This list also mentions the Epicenter network: “We expect to send 40-50 million UAH monthly to help the country for the purchase of medical equipment, masks, disinfectants and protective equipment,” said Petro Mikhailyshyn, CEO of Epicenter K LLC.” But Gerega’s letter to the mayor of Kyiv told us something more about the possible routes for the purchased protective equipment...
After the first flights in March, which delivered humanitarian aid from China, President Zelensky in his address announced the arrival of 200 thousand medical respirators. And then he let it slip that masks will soon be sold in pharmacies. The cargo is humanitarian, but will be sold.
Let us also add here the constant juggling of numbers that accompanied all the first charitable initiatives. Then, in March, it was stated that oligarch so-and-so allocated either 2 million or 10 million. Either he singled it out, or he’s planning it. The numbers jumped in the same way: either it was delivered, or it would be delivered, but then, when it was purchased.
Meanwhile, Joker’s Telegram channel tells us who the main lucky ones are who were served or helped with gesheft by the Ukrainian president with his special flights.
Joker writes: “Analyzed three presidential flights with humanitarian supplies. From April 6 to April 8, 2020, three flights from China to Ukraine delivered goods for the following commercial organizations: Silpo-food - 1 medical masks; Epicenter – 701 medical masks; ROSHEN – 000 protective suits, 420 points; PP "DILOVAR", Odessa, textile trade, authorized capital 000 hryvnia - 400 medical masks; "Dolphi-Ukraine", distributor of medical products - 100 medical masks on two flights of 1000 each; LLP "PROM-ENERGO PRODUCT" Vadim Novinsky, natural gas production - 400 insulating boxes; "Ukrainian Genetic Technologies", manufacturer of test systems - test reagents, 000 boxes; Abifarm company, production of protective masks - equipment for the production of masks, 2 items, and 000 boxes of fabrics (two flights); "AHK-GROUP" LLP, wholesale trade in chemical products, authorized capital 000 hryvnia - 1 points; "Firma Tekhnika Montatu" LLP, Lviv, wholesale trade in wood, building materials and plumbing, positions itself as the market leader in construction fastenings - 000 ventilators, marked: Department of Lviv Administration."
One can, of course, optimistically assume that the listed commercial organizations have the best intentions: to purchase medical supplies with their own, in order to then use them for charitable purposes, and to control targeted humanitarian aid themselves. But we read about 1 million 700 thousand masks for Silpo. Did any of the Silpo buyers receive something for free from this humanitarian aid? The same question for Epicenter buyers. We won’t say anything at all about Roshen’s buyers, because the “godfather” of the chain (even though he is a dollar billionaire) was generous, judging by the data provided, only on suits and glasses for his own entourage and personal doctors. But Petsyulka’s generosity has long been known - and will still be sung in the legends and myths of ancient Sumeria.
Joker indicates that the commercial purpose of some of the listed cargo is beyond doubt. He further says: “All these flights were carried out under diplomatic permission, which is a clear violation, because commercial transportation cannot take place through diplomatic channels. All cargo, including commercial cargo, was cleared through customs in Ukraine at a zero rate. These flights departed through the airport in Xiamen, where a warehouse was also set up and a cargo dispatch coordinator was assigned. Customs clearance was carried out at a price of 10 dollars per kilogram. Despite the fact that at other airports in China, such customs clearance costs 3 yuan per kg. The following persons were responsible on the Ukrainian side. Sergey Kamyshev, Ambassador of Ukraine to China. Vasily Gomyanin, an employee of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, as well as the well-known Boris Baum.”
The latter, the “notorious Boris Baum,” is said to be overseeing the gambling business from the president’s office.
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