"Militia" Zhuchkovsky admitted while "authorities" of the "DPR" are spending money with both hands, civilians are surviving in Donetsk

"Militia" and coordinator of the "non-humanitarian aid" of the so-called "DPR" Alexander Zhuchkovsky admitted that while self-appointed "authorities" are spending money with both hands in occupied Donetsk, civilians are living on short commons. He said this in an interview to the Russian Fontanka website.

"Somewhere in the suburbs, for example in Petrovsk district, people are still living in bombshelters. And there is a center, where the employees of ministries and departments, militia commanders, who earned good money during the war, can afford to waste it. There are popular places like Rakushka, Sun City, Banana - the famous places in the center of Donetsk, where people spend a lot of money. Some politicians are even famous for spending money with both hands. And there is a completely different part of Donetsk, where people get nothingl, not a penny. They are living on short commons. It annoys people. As it started from Slavyansk, nothing has changed," - he said.

According to Zhuchkovsky, people are "surviving " on the occupied territory.

"This must be understood. There is a crisis in Russia, but our crisis has quite different criteria – it’ not about famine. The circumstances are military. People reduce as much as possible, the main priorities – are food and warm clothes. This is true. We slowed down, adjusted all budgets and needs. People mainly live on savings. Of course, public institutions work, but the average salary there is 5 - 7 thousand rubles. Some remnants of the coal industry also work. Many people left. Some get help from relatives in Russia. They live as they can,"- he said.

At the same time, Zhuchkovsky notes the existence of a serious shadow business, mainly due to coal and metal.