Donetsk Tobacco Factory ships goods to EU via Ukraine

Despite hostilities and the so-called blockade, the Donetsk Tobacco Factory has not only continued production but is actually increasing output. Goods are transported across the line of contact and then smuggled into EU countries.

Naturally, there is no excise duty on this product, so the Ukrainian budget receives not a penny from it. The tobacco factory’s turnover is $700 million a year. Part of this money, of course, goes towards so-called taxes for the DNR, meaning the enterprise is effectively financing terrorism.