The owner of an enterprise that the Russians stole in Melitopol, launched a mortar plant (photo)

Anatoly Kuzmin founded it in 1999. The enterprise has become one of the largest foundry plants in the south of Ukraine. It produced spare parts for cars and agricultural machinery. They were sold both in Ukraine and abroad. Since 2017, the plant has started ordering Ukroboronprom. It also started producing mortars from the 60th to the 120th caliber and the ZU-23 anti-aircraft installation. In addition, military equipment was taken here for repair.

After the occupation of part of the Zaporizhzhya region in April 2022, a collaborator was personally arrived at the plant with armed invaders and staged "inspections" of the enterprise. The next day, employees of the so -called "People's Militia" with searches came to the plant. Criminal cases were initiated against the plant owner, and at this time cars, buses, loaders, faucets, computer equipment were removed from the territory of the enterprise.

A week later, the occupiers' resolution on the withdrawal of all products worth at least 2 million euros was announced. The invaders also searched and robbed Anatoly Kuzmin's house. Anatoly Kuzmin left the city and now lives in the west of Ukraine. There in 2023 he launched a private mortar plant. To date, the capacity of the enterprise is 20,000 buildings for shells per month. The plant owner should increase production to 100,000 shells per month and develop engines and explosives for drones.

"Our dream is to create an explosive factory," says Melitopol. Now the entrepreneur is looking for partners to realize his dream. Each newly made projectile is wrapped in Kraft paper and carefully packed in wooden boxes for sending to Romania or Bulgaria, where it is stuffed with explosives. After a few weeks, they are turned back and sent to the front. - I feel that we are approaching our country to victory, - says Anatoly Kuzmin.