Terrorists target Privat Bank, other banks are closing in Donetsk

Privat Bank (PRBANK) stated on May 5 that it was relocating to a “special operation” in Donetsk and Lugansk Oblasts as the bank “cannot and does not have the right to force people to go to work…when people break into bank branches with arms in cities and steal cars and money.” On May 4, its branch in Donetsk Oblast’s Mariupol was set on fire. Over that same weekend of May 3-4 several other branches of Privat Bank were targeted and set ablaze, press agencies reported.

The bank has reassured clients that their accounts are safe and that Internet banking service Privat24, mobile applications, and its payment cards for cashless transactions are all in order. The bank reports no trouble with its more than 2,500 branches and cash points in any other parts of Ukraine.

Privat Bank has appealed to the Donetsk and Luhansk local authorities and citizen groups to protect the bank. In the last 10 days alone, Privat Bank reports, “as a result of arson, assault and wanton destruction of property in the cities of Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts, 38 ATMs and 24 branches of Privat Bank have suffered and 11 vehicles were stolen.”

Privat Bank, owned by the billionaire Ihor Kolomoisky, a new Governor of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast and the most active fighter with separatists, is naturally the primary target for extremists in hot regions. Kolomoisky has organized a self-defense force Dnipropetrovsk Oblast’s and has just called for a congress of the southeastern region of Ukraine for May 11, the same day as the Donetsk separatists are planning a referendum on independence.

It seems that so far, no other banks have been targeted in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, while some other bank have already announced their work is limited there. In particular, Oschadbank (OSCHAD, State Savings Bank) reported on May 5 it closed all the offices in the cities of Slaviansk and Kramatorsk (where currently the most active battles of anti-terrorist operation are going). Raiffesen Bank Aval (BAVL UK) reported the same day its 3 branches in Luhansk Oblast and 22 branches in Donetsk Oblast are temporarily closed.