By occupying Ukrainian territories, Russia gained control over energy deposits, metals and minerals worth at least USD 12.4 trillion, reads the article by The Washington Post.

“Since the invasion began in February, however, the Kremlin has steadily expanded its holdings. According to SecDev and Ukrainian mining and steel industry executives, it has seized: 41 coal fields, 27 natural gas sites, 14 propane sites, nine oil fields, six iron ore deposits, two titanium ore sites, two zirconium ore sites, one strontium site, one lithium site, one uranium site, one gold deposit and a significant quarry of limestone previously used for Ukrainian steel production. At least USD 12.4 trillion worth of Ukraine’s energy deposits, metals and minerals are now under Russian control”, - reads the article.

According to the newspaper, in case of annexation of the territories occupied by Russia, Kyiv would permanently lose access to almost two-thirds of its deposits, including storages of natural gas, oil and rare earth minerals necessary for some high-tech components, which may prevent Western Europe from looking for alternatives to imports from Russia and China.

“In addition to 63 percent of the country’s coal deposits, Moscow has seized 11 percent of its oil deposits, 20 percent of its natural gas deposits, 42 percent of its metals and 33 percent of its deposits of rare earth and other critical minerals including lithium”, - the article reads.