Ecocide by Mykhailo Brodsky's power plant: Produce poisoning by radioactive ash from #Chernobyl sponsored by #EBRD

Ukrainian scammers and corrupt bureaucrats developed the taste for defrauding Europeans on the major scale. EBRD has become a victim of one of their schemes when the bank agreed to put $10 million in 'bioecological' power plant nearby Kiev. The construction of it was performed with all sorts of regulation violations. Now, when the plan is operating, it burns radioactive wood from the Chernobyl. The power station company is said to be closely related to the Mykhailo Brodsky, Ukrainian politic figure and a businessman, writes Natalia Todavchich.

Imagine the situation: you buy cereal and vegetables and soon you or your children fell sick. You can't guess the origin of the trouble. You have to spend time, money and your nerves to visit the doctors and so on. Imagine your surprise that your poisoning, at the end, may be sponsored by the EBRD. It was EBRD that financed the Ivankov "bio" power station and then, when the situation went out of control, were failed to intervene.

By burning radioactive wood from the Chernobyl Ivankov power plant ("BiogazEnergo Ltd") dumps ash as a byproduct. It is subsequently used to fertilize vegetable and cereal fields. For example the police has documented fertilizing with ash in the Makarov and Borodianka districts of Kiev region.

Unimaginable for the European Union affair emerged in flesh in the Ukraine. Power plant remains operational, generating wealth for its owners. In a meantime, it is not about radioactive ash only. It is full scale environmental disaster.

In 2014, a local resident filmed a clip to show the awesome noise generated by the power plant.

He stated that the video fails to show the exact level of the noise. He adds, that Ivankov residents are unable to sleep with windows open, and the air around is filled with the plant byproducts.

Of course, were the project developed in a scale EBRD financed the level of noise would be not so shocking.

In one of the investigations journalists uncovered that the entire project is based on outright lies and corruption. Future owner and operator tried to present the enterprise difficulty as a Tier 3. Hoping on the local corruption ties he knowingly diminished the difficulty of the project. Upon examination authorities set the Tier 5 level of engineering and safety complexion to the power station plan.

This is a video filmed by the activists of Ivankov: "Such trees are transported, processed and burnt at the power plant. It is what the power station personnel call 'alternative fuel'…"

There are many strange things happening at the plant in general. In 2017 the management of BiogazEnergo Ltd requested the district government administration an additional quota for mineral resources. The station needed more water wells, far exceeding the original plan. The head of environmental commission of Kiev region Maxim Zapaskin said that Ivankov district council asked the regional MPs not to allow it and refrain from support of the already dubious power plant.

Sergey Grishcenko, the district parliament member, in an interview with the KievVlast newspaper, said that the plant is emitting nitric acid and carbon dioxide to the air. "And as soon as the plant gets media attention and is filmed by TV journalists it pauses operation. Its owners are afraid of getting exposed in Europe. This was an ambitious project, it was built with the help from the EBRD. We, local community residents, have warned EBRD that the implementation of it will render the environmental catastrophe. We were not heard. They financed the true ecocide. We beg the media, including the European media, to uncover the truth about the power plant, to broadcast the facts and get heard by as many people and organizations as possible," said Sergey Grischenko.

The environmental disaster is only beginning to unfold. As for now the plant is generating 6Mw. The plans are to rise the output to 12Mw and eventually up to 18Mw. For a Ivankov district it means that it will become an hazardous ash heap.

And this is no exclusion of the rule. Funds from EBRD were secured for a businessman Alexey Butenko. With a total wealth of $70 millions he is a typical investor. He does not have preferences in one project or another and he only invest in the projects that tend to be profitable in a nearest future. He got involved in the Ivankov power plant for this very reason: he supposed that it will be nice and simple.

However he miscalculated the risks and complexity of the power generation. He asked EBRD for financing and in the same time he secretly corrected the plan to rise the ROI. As it was immediately backfired as environmental troubles local residents were begin to alarm the authorities. Being presented the prospects to stop the plant and face the EBRD investigation Butenko turned to someone with a power and influence who can prevent such disaster. He chose to forge a partnership with Mykhailo Brodsky, a well known businessman and scammer.

Brodsky path to the fame was started in early 90's. Then he served the interests of Kisel criminal gang. Brodsky laundered money for the notorious gang. The infamous "Dandy" company was established for that occasion. Brodsky has invested, among other projects in Obozrevatel newspaper and made profitable enterprise out of it. He published hit pieces targeting well known persons - for the fare.

He acquired a reputation as a professional scammer. One especially bold in particular is tied with the Kiev river port. We will tell about in somewhat further. Also Mykhailo Brodsky is acting president of basketball federation of Ukraine. He was true to his nature as he is involved in covert kickbacks on the player transfers.

Mykhailo Brodsky is a big connoisseur of Italy. He purchase a luxury villa here - for himself and the kids.

Nobody knows exactly how much Brodsky and Alexey Butenko crunches out of the Ivankov power plant. The company which was built on the European financing is now totally lost in shadow. There are no profit or tax reports.

Local community and parliament members try to stop the power plant operations. Their efforts were futile until now.

KievVlast media was the first to point out Brodsky role in Ivankov ecocide. Since the March 2017 the director of power plant is Sergey Boiko. He is infamous for the November 2016 events when the director of Kiev river port was badly beaten. Sergey Boiko has retained the position of Kiev river point director and simultaneously was appointed as a director of the Ivankov power plant. He is also a head of the Mykhailo Brodsky's own political organization, Party of the Free Democrats. It is not just a coincidence.

Ukrainskaya Pravda while citing the anti-corruption project Schemy named Brodsky as one of the owners of Kiev river port. He never intentionally cover it. His son Yuriy post in Facebook his very definitive intentions about managing the river port. Mykhailo Brodsky has used a similar method of getting control in exchange for the regular payouts. Media pointed out that Mykhailo Brodsky was the mastermind of how BRSM-Neft has evaded the billion hrivnia fine for tax evasion by 'fixing things' with his good friend Roman Nasirov. Nasirov was the head of state tax service at that time. In exchange the BRSM has got new CEO - the brother of Mykhailo Brodsky, Evgeny.

The Ivankov power plant case strikes dramatic similarity with the BRSM-Neft. The owner, Alexey Butenko, was in trouble defending the hazardous project. The community protested. Mykhailo Brodsky was the partner to influence the state of things and prevent the closure of the plant. In exchange he demanded to install his director to the operating company. Sergey Boyko, closely affiliated with Brodsky, was such person.

This people is interested only on rich returns. Environment protection is not important, as well as the health of the local children.

Ivankov is on the edge. Activists as well as local residents are ready to use force against the owners of the plant and bureaucrats. "I will not wonder if our men will take arms and deal with Alexey Butenko. And then they will come to the head of state district administration - to Maxim Lysogor and former heads - Alexander Lelyak and Stanislav Polishuk. The state and authorities do nothing and it will end with a bloodshed" - said local parliamentarian Grishenko.

Now we have all reasons to add Mykhailo Brodsky to the list. However it will be futile to get to him with arms. Mykhailo is smart and takes precautions. He has a place to hide from any consequences - at his Italian estate.

The prospects of getting Butenko and Brodsky accountable for ecocide is relying not only on locals and media community. It also depends on EBRD. It was after all European bank that financed the disaster and it should bear the burden of responsibility. Scammers should be stopped. Maybe it is difficult it Ukraine, but is is certainly easier in Italy.

Share this article: