'Gold rush' hits Luhanks regions - Russians dig for wealth, miners left penniless

According to the official, in the territory of the Rovenky community, occupiers issued four licenses for exploration and extraction of minerals, including gold, as well as for geological surveys to search for associated metals.

This is despite the fact that local miners have not received their wages for six months.

Gold that doesn't exist

The center of the latest "scam of the century" is the Rovenky community. Here, at the Bobrykivske deposit, the occupiers plan to "resume" the extraction of precious metals. However, the main gold reserves there were depleted back in the 19th century.

This is not the first attempt to simulate an industrial breakthrough. About a year and a half ago, similar auctions and “investment” attempts ended in losses. Now the occupiers have again issued four licenses, promising “mountains of gold” to distract attention from the complete collapse of the coal industry.

Miners' debts: reality instead of dreams

Against the backdrop of tales about golden mines, the real economy of ORLO is in a coma. Even at the Bilorichenska mine, which was always considered profitable and successful, the situation is critical:

• Payment delays: Miners last received their wages in the summer of 2025.

• Empty promises: The new “owners” from Russia, instead of promised modernization, simply extract resources without paying for labor.

• Lack of prospects: Despite profits from coal sales, the money does not reach the workers.

The occupation authorities in temporarily occupied Donetsk have begun preparing the population to use mine water as an “alternative” source of drinking water.

In Luhansk, the Luhan river has become a toxic collector, with industrial enterprises regularly dumping waste directly into water bodies, posing a serious threat to the environment and the health of the local population.