Following recent nationalisation activity of Crimean property that previously belonged to the Ukraine, new Crimean authorities are beginning to push in on private Ukrainian businesses such as Kerch Shipyard Zaliv.
According to the owners of Kerch Shipyard Zaliv, an illegal seizure of the company was enacted in early September.
Crimea's Ministry of Information and Communications issued a statement saying the shipyard had changed ownership and that Ukrainian businessman Konstantin Zhevago was no longer the owner.
The statement also alleged that previously, when Crimean peninsula was the part of Ukraine, Mr Zhevago had illegally seized stocks of Zaliv, with law enforcement agencies now in charge of the situation and a prosecution of the shipyard's former managers likely.
Meanwhile, several Russian news agencies reported that workers, Crimea's community defense volunteer squad, and former directors of the company, such as marketing director Valery Belozerova, were not permitted to enter the shipyard's premises.
Sources familiar with the situation confirmed that the shipyard will be acquired by an unnamed shipbuilding company from the Republic of Tatarstan, a region located in central Russia.
"This is a very good asset with a large dry dock and the ability to construct tankers and drilling platforms," said the source.
Crimean authorities are denying any illegal seizure of Kerch Shipyard Zaliv, saying the situation involved a conflict amongst the yard's shareholders, including the workers and management.
Crimea's Minister of Industrial Policy, Andrew Skrinnik, said the shareholders and employees of the yard were insisting on development of the enterprise, with resistance put forth by the management.
Thus, with the aid of the People's Self-Defense political movement, the heads of the company were ousted.
Though Mr Skrinnik said the conflict over the shipyard was between its shareholders and needn't be politicised, the Minister called for radical solutions to ensure the stable operation and development of the shipyard, which is currently in poor condition and not receiving many orders.
Vladislav Vorotnikov
