The Economy of Occupation: the kremlin Intends to Finance the War with Stolen Ukrainian Resources

russian invaders intend to conduct geological exploration for rare mineral resources in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine – Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions.

There are significant deposits of titanium, lithium, tungsten and molybdenum in the TOT of Ukraine. In particular, the Shevchenkivske lithium deposit in Donetsk region has reserves of 13.8 million tons of ore (with a lithium oxide content of about 1.2 %). About 20 % of the world’s titanium reserves are in Zaporizhzhia region.

In total, the rf has plans to explore about 70 sites. Lithium, graphite, manganese, molybdenum, tungsten, titanium and uranium are priority minerals.

The occupiers expect that by 2030, the economic effect from implementation of these geological projects could be more than USD 11.2 billion in tax revenues. Besides, moscow declares its intention to reduce its dependence on imports of rare earth metals from 75 % to 45 % by 2030, increasing its own production to 50 thousand tons a year.

The actual consolidation of the rf’s economic control over Ukraine’s TOT once again shows that moscow has no intention to negotiate a real end to the war or compromises.