KIEV, Aug. 25 – Ostchem, part of Dmytro Firtash's Group DF, the largest fertilizer producer in Ukraine, backs the idea of introducing duties on Russian urea and urea-ammonium nitrate (UAN) to prevent Ukrainian chemical enterprises from shutting down.

"We are sure that if safeguard duties are not introduced, a large price will be paid for this: stoppage of six Ukrainian chemical plants, 100,000 dismissed Ukrainians who would need support from the social unemployment insurance fund," Group DF Director for Communications Oleh Arestarkhov told Interfax-Ukraine.

He said that if the plants are shut down, the following cities will lose a large part of revenue: Rivne (25% of the budget), Severodonetsk (92% of the budget), Cherkasy (27% of the budget) and Odessa (8% of the budget).