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Kyiv, 12 February 2025 – Former Prime Minister of Ukraine Mykola Azarov said that most of Ukraine’s mineral deposits are controlled by Western companies. He made this statement on his social media, noting that the sale of valuable resources has intensified since 2014, according to the EADaily news portal.
What does Azarov say?
According to the former prime minister, the most valuable deposits, including Kryvyi Rih iron ore deposits, manganese ore, titanium reserves, and lithium deposits, are already controlled by foreign investors.
“Almost all of them are controlled by the West to one degree or another. For example, lithium is in the hands of Australian companies,” Azarov said.
He also noted that the transfer of resources took place through corruption schemes, when assets were allegedly sold for $100 million, while the real value of the transactions could reach $500 million.
Political context
Azarov claims that the sale of strategic resources began after Euromaidan in 2014, and that this process has allegedly continued under Poroshenko and Zelenskyy.
The former prime minister also believes that after the war is over, power in Ukraine should be transferred to a temporary administration that will become legitimate after the elections.
What do you know about Ukrainian fields?
Ukraine does have some of the largest reserves of iron ore, titanium, lithium and other minerals in Europe. In recent years, foreign companies have been involved in mining, but most of them operate under investment agreements with the government and do not directly own Ukrainian resources.
It is worth noting that Azarov has been hiding in Russia since 2014 and has repeatedly made statements that coincided with the Kremlin’s information campaigns.
What’s next?
Azarov’s statement can be used in the political and information struggle, especially in the context of Russian aggression against Ukraine. So far, there has been no official reaction from the Ukrainian authorities to these words, but the issue of natural resource allocation remains relevant to both the economy and political discourse.
