The raiders, a group of over 100 unidentified persons arrived in three busses at noon on March 15 wearing masks and black uniforms. They were armed with metal-cutting saws and started to demolish the company property.

The attackers assaulted company staff and tied the hands of security guards. The guards open fire at the attackers. Despite the warning, the raiders began to smash windows and doors, trying to break in the offices. They also disabled the heating and cooling systems, endangering vegetables kept in the refrigerators.

“We are informing you that a self-declared board chairman Soproniuk and supervisory board chair Yali who were elected by an illegal meeting of shareholders took part in the violent raid. They tried to lock themselves in the office, refused to comment to the mass media and provide documents to substantiate the seizure. Surprisingly, they were accompanied by Lychakivsky rayon bailiffs. However, under the law, any seizure of property can be enforced only on weekdays and during work hours. The bailiffs refused to show a court writ according to which they could enter the premises of the company,” the appeal runs.

According to Provesin press service, 200 employees foiled the seizure attempt. They banished Soproniuk and Yali from the company territory. Meanwhile, the police and company guards detained the attackers and questioned them. The attackers failed to produce any documents confirming their identity. According to them, they are members of a security company based in Vinnytsia, 300 km away from Lviv.

This is not the first attempt to overtake Provesin by force. Behind the attacks is the so-called Kizin group of individuals who claim ownership of the company. The call themselves investors and base their claim on a minority stake they had bought in the company.

“We therefore appeal to you to urgently set up a commission to look into the matter. Provesin is on the government risk list as a potential target for raider attacks. We demand urgent steps to be taken to rectify the situation. The failure to ensure unbiased and transparent investigation within seven days will result in a hunger strike near the government and presidential secretariat buildings in Kyiv as well as an appeal to European mass media outlets. We are not going to tolerate lawlessness any longer,” the appeal continues.