Hryhorii Lytvyn, 59

Outcome. Lytvyn is preparing for the trade union commission on January 12, promising full data transparency.

World engine: Preparation of documents, calls, and organization of meetings - no expenses or status changes.

Place: Khimselyshche industrial zone

Thoughts

The commission on January 12 is a point of no return. If I show up unprepared, journalists will buzz, and all my trust-building will collapse in one day. Mykola demands documents, Larysa demands an independent environmental assessment. Both expect not words, but facts. I have real data from an independent laboratory — the modernization of the III phase is at 14%, emissions are falling. I got ahead of Sofia and the newspaper when I launched eco-monitoring five days ago. Now I have to use it as a shield. Larysa will provide a loan of UAH 80-100 million if I show that I control the situation, and all numbers will normalize by sowing. Cash is falling, but this is foreseen — the fairness contract costs UAH 43 million per year. I need mechanics for 18 months. Mykola and Larysa will only understand facts. I will give them both real data before the commission so that journalists have nothing to raise.

Options

1. Convene the team, prepare the entire document package for the commission and the bank, request reports from the independent laboratory by January 12, write to Mykola and Larysa officially…
2. Ask Mykola to postpone the commission by a month to have time to prepare and have more accurate modernization figures.
3. Acknowledge to Mykola and Larysa some problems with emissions, but show real progress and ask for trust for 6 months, when modernization will be at 50%.

Choice. I choose the first option. The commission on January 12 is my game, not my end, if I am prepared correctly. Mykola expects facts, and I will give them to him. Journalists will see that I am not hiding anything, just doing transparent technical work. Larysa will see that I control cash flow and risks. This is a transition from defense to offense.

Statement: «Hryhorii Lytvyn: 'The trade union commission on January 12 is what I expected and am ready for. The modernization of Phase III is on schedule, emissions are falling, the fairness contract is being fulfilled with guarantees. At the meeting, we will show independent data and documents so that every person at the factory and journalists know the truth. This is not defense, it's transparency.'»

Diary. January 10. Cash flow 63 million, the company is on the verge. But the commission on January 12 and the meeting with Larysa are my credits. I've outpaced everyone with independent environmental monitoring, now I'm showing figures and documents. Mykola and Larysa are ready to trust if I deliver. Sofia and the newspaper will have no reason to attack transparency. Phase III will fall, emissions will fall, cash flow will roll in by autumn...

Outcome. "Lytvyn-Khim" announces "contract of justice": moratorium on dismissals, +15% salaries, environmental monitoring

World engine: Letter to the trade union, invitation to meetings, private statement on contract terms — within the owner's own powers.

Place: Bank branch

Thoughts

Mykola and Ivan are not bluffing – they are demanding documents and control. That's good: they are serious. The newspaper is writing about "commission measurements" – they are waiting for results. Petro wants numbers for the commission – I'll give him better than he expects. But my cash is falling. The fairness contract means an additional UAH 43 million per year. The company loses UAH 115 million, now it will be 158 million. This means I have spent my hidden buffer on a shield against criticism. There's no meat – I need a loan from Larysa, otherwise in the spring I'll be scratching my head in front of the workers. Plan: write Mykola all five points officially (that's his request), invite Petro for a closed meeting (to agree on what exactly goes into the commission), invite Larysa for an extended discussion about attracting millions for the modernization of the third phase. If the numbers fall by spring, I will win. If not – I should already have a way out through a loan and renegotiated influence on the council.

Options

1. Write Mykola a detailed letter with 5 points, invite Petro for a private meeting, then Larysa – to show control and prepare for a loan
2. Invite Petro, Mykola, and Larysa to one extended meeting at the plant's office – to show unity and minimize time delays
3. Give Vaniusha and Mykola basic papers and request an extension of the voting period by 2 weeks – this is a shield from criticism

Choice. Option 1. Mykola asks for written confirmation – I'll give him better than he expects, it will have a ripple effect. Petro talks about commissions – we'll deal with him separately, in a small group. Larysa has set a price for transparency – I will show her that I am willing to spend money on fairness, and I will ask about a loan for the third...

Statement: «I, Hryhorii Lytvyn, owner of PJSC "Lytvyn-Khim", clearly and openly: the contract of justice, which was discussed with the trade union, is being formalized into an official agreement with the following conditions: (1) a moratorium on the dismissal of all 2400 workers for 3 years, formalized by order; (2) a 15 percent increase in basic salaries from January 1, 2027; (3) monthly environmental monitoring of emissions with an independent laboratory and public reporting; (4) a fine of UAH 5 million for the trade union's cash desk upon ...»

Diary. December 29. The cash register is falling. I've put myself on a limb — the contract of justice costs UAH 43 million a year, the company is losing UAH 115 million. I need a loan from Larysa, otherwise, in the spring, I'll be at a loss. Mykola and Ivan are demanding details — that's good, they're talking seriously. I'll give them the documents they requested and show them that I control the game, not dominate it. Petro must understand...

Outcome. "Lytvyn-Khim" announces the "Contract of Fairness": +15% to salaries, environmental monitoring, fines for violations

World engine: Letter and application — communication; financing of the contract and modernization with the company's own funds will be carried out in separate steps.

Place: PJSC "Lytvyn-Khim"

Thoughts

I gave Mykola my word, and that word stands. The cash flow is falling, the debt is critical, but if I back down from the contract now, the trade union and journalists will tear me apart. Environmental monitoring is my shield. Yes, +15% salaries will cost me UAH 43 million per year, which is half of the profit, but without this shield, I will lose control of the narrative. Nechyporenko is preparing an investigation, Kovtun is demanding publicity - if I am the first to be transparent, they will have no reason to attack. But the cash flow will fall faster. Larysa must know about my guarantees to the trade union - this will make me more reliable for the loan. Phase III must be accelerated. Emissions must fall by December according to the numbers. This is survival.

Options

1. Write to Larysa in detail about the fairness contract and ask for a loan of UAH 30-50 million: this will show her that I control the risks and am managed by unions, not chaos.
2. Meet with Mykola again to agree on the first publication of the environmental monitoring results in the newspaper - this will be more significant than words.
3. Accelerate Phase III work and send Petro a report with numbers on what has already been achieved - show that I am moving, not waiting.

Choice. First option: Larysa must know about the fairness contract. This is not just words - it is a document, guarantees, and publicity. For the bank, this means that I control social risks and have an alliance with the trade union. This is a solid basis for a loan. Without money for cash flow, I will die before the activists tear me apart.

Statement: «Lytvyn-Khim proudly announces the launch of the "Fairness Contract" with the trade union: +15% salaries for all employees, independent environmental monitoring by the Institute of Ecology laboratory, monthly public reports, and guarantees of social justice. This is not just a document - it is a condition for our survival and development in the city. We believe in transparency, and now the people of Cherkasy will know our numbers first.»

Diary. 19 December. Cash UAH 145 mln, debt UAH 200 mln — critical. But I will publicly and firmly offer him the contract of fairness. +15% is expensive, but it's a shield. Nechyporenko is preparing an investigation, Kovtun is shouting about transparency — if I get ahead of everyone with figures and guarantees, they will have no reason to attack. Larisa must know: this is not about patching up the cash, it's about risk management and control. II…

Outcome. Lytvyn publicly guarantees +15% salaries, eco-monitoring, a moratorium on layoffs, and a penalty for violating the terms.

World engine: Meeting, letter with terms, UAH 20 million buffer for salaries from the company's cash (UAH 145 million cash) – within funds.

Place: City Council

Thoughts

Mykola is proud not of the question, but of the ultimatum - but he is ahead of me, and I was planning these steps anyway. The company's cash is UAH 145 million, debt is UAH 200 million, private cash is UAH 62 million - I am on the edge. The III phase is 5%, modernization is 11% - if they fall by December with figures on eco-monitoring, Larysa will provide the loan. Mykola gives me a shield, but the shield costs. +15% salaries is UAH 3.6 million monthly from the cash register, but without it, the trade union will talk about me as an arsonist, and the bank will not give a loan. Eco-monitoring is what I need to get ahead of the activists. Petro is waiting for details - I am giving them to him. Larysa has increased the requirements - I am showing her that I am in control. I cannot buy myself time otherwise.

Options

1. Agree to all of Mykola's conditions, schedule a meeting for this evening, send them both a letter of guarantees, and give Petro the prepared presentation with figures for the session...
2. Agree with Mykola on everything except the UAH 5 million fine (propose UAH 2 million), try to remove the moratorium on layoffs to maintain flexibility.
3. Postpone the meeting, first talk to Larysa about the loan to know what guarantees she expects, then go to Mykola with a strengthened position.

Choice. First. Mykola is not bluffing - he is my ally and a shield against activists. If I bargain on his terms, I show that I am weak. I accept everything he asks for, publicly and firmly - this is a one-way victory. The cash register will fall, but Larysa and the journalists will write about me as a person of fairness, investigations in...

Statement: «Hryhorii Lytvyn, owner of "Lytvyn-Khim", official statement for the city: "I take full responsibility – these are not promises, this is a contract of justice. My company is an employer for 2,400 Cherkasy families, and I am responsible for them. Starting November 2026, all employees will receive a 15% increase to their base rate. We are launching independent eco-monitoring every 5 days with a certified laboratory. Phase III of modernization, including purification...»

Diary. December 9. Cash UAH 145 mln, debt UAH 200 mln – this is the limit, but I see a way out. Mykola wasn't bluffing, he was telling the truth. I fully accept his contract, publicly and firmly. +15% salaries is UAH 3.6 mln monthly, but without it, I won't get protection from the union and journalists. Eco-monitoring every 5 days with an independent laboratory is what I need to get ahead of Sofiia...

Outcome. Lytvyn announced the launch of environmental monitoring and the plan for III phase modernization by 2027

World engine: Document preparation and private communication – no change in status; public statement is recorded.

Place: Khimselyshche industrial zone

Thoughts

Mykola has managed his time well – he knows I was interrupted due to cleaning at the cash desk and problems with Larysa. His letter to the bank is my line of defense. If Vilnyi Bereh Bank sees that the trade union and the owner are talking about justice, monitoring, salaries, and publicity – it's not an attack, it's a partnership. This will give me credit. The guarantees he demands, I would also like to give publicly, so that activists and journalists write about me as a leader, not as a persecuted person. The cash desk is critical, the debt is at the limit, but if I am the first to talk about transparency and environmental monitoring, the numbers will drop, and the credit will come. By November – a turning point.

Options

1. Agree to a meeting on December 1-2, accept all five guarantees without changes, give Mykola private consultation on figures and plans
2. Agree to a meeting, but propose to change one point (reduce the moratorium to 18 months instead of 24) to show that I am negotiating, not obeying.
3. Propose an accelerated meeting on November 30 in the evening to settle everything before December and give Mykola news for the bank by Monday.

Choice. Option 3. An accelerated meeting on November 30 shows me that I control the pace, not following Mykola. By December, we will have a prepared letter, Larysa will see that we are a united front, and the credit will come faster.

Statement: «Hryhorii Lytvyn reports: In November, we launched an independent environmental monitoring program at Lytvyn-Khim – this is not cleaning, it's a new standard of transparency for industry. The third phase of modernization will be completed by 2027, emissions will decrease by 35% from the norm. The plant is moving to a new level of fairness: these are guarantees for workers, guarantees for the city, guarantees for banks that trust us. Transparency is our style.»

Diary. November 29. Cash UAH 140 million, debt UAH 200 million – the limit. But I see a way out. Mykola invited me to a meeting on November 22-23, I am scheduling it for the 30th. This shows that I control the pace. The letter for the bank is my shield and Larysa's pass for credit. The five guarantees are what I planned to do. The III phase will be completed by December, the numbers will drop, the newspaper and activists will have nothing to...

Outcome. 'Lytvyn-Khim' begins modernization of Phase III: new ammonia cleaning lines, independent eco-monitoring

World engine: UAH 15 million from the plant's cash (UAH 150 million) covers the first stage; the remaining UAH 12 million is a loan request submitted to the bank separately.

Place: Khimselyshche industrial zone

Thoughts

Petro demands numbers, Mykola expects honesty, Larisa has increased credit requirements. I know I'm on the edge - the company's cash is in the red, debt is UAH 200 million. But I also know how to play. If I give Petro the detailed modernization plan first, show Mykola the fair numbers on eco-monitoring first, prove to the bank that I control the situation first - they will all become my shield against investigations and activists. The newspaper writes about transparency. Good. I'll give it what it wants. By November, Phase III will be ready, emissions will drop in the numbers, the investigation will fall. This is not a retreat - it's an offensive. The next 30 days are decisive.

Options

1. Send Petro the file with the breakdown, write to Mykola about eco-monitoring, invite Larisa to a meeting about expanding the credit line
2. Send Petro the file, wait for his reaction, then write to others
3. Invite both Petro and Mykola to a joint meeting where I will present the plan and numbers to them together

Choice. Option 1. Petro speaks the language of numbers - I'll give them to him. Mykola defends the workers - I'll show guarantees. Larisa fears risks - I'll prove control. Three actions, one direction: I am in control.

Statement: «Hryhorii Lytvyn, owner of PJSC 'Lytvyn-Khim': 'The modernization of Phase III is not a palliative, it is real responsibility. By November, my plant will be 60% cleaner. I am launching independent eco-monitoring, the results will be open to the city. My workers will receive higher salaries and new jobs. I believe that justice is facts that can be measured and verified. Cherkasy deserves an industry that lives by its word.'»

Diary. November 11. Company cash UAH 150 million, private cash UAH 61 million. Debt UAH 200 million - this is the limit. But I see a way out. Petro demanded numbers - I gave him the file with Phase III. Mykola waited for guarantees - I gave him the contract of fairness and eco-monitoring with an independent laboratory. Larisa wants reliability - I invite her for an extended credit discussion. By November, emissions will drop...

Outcome. "Lytvyn-Khim" accelerates the III stage of treatment facility modernization, promising completion by December 2026

World engine: Internal assignments and communication on financing - without expenses requiring scale verification.

Place: City Council

Thoughts

The newspaper is published, and it writes about transparency and data — this is good. Kostiantyn has already announced the pilot, activists and journalists are waiting for facts, not words. Mykola is bringing a letter for the bank tomorrow — this is my chance to show Larysa that I control the situation and that the trade union, the bank, and I are speaking the language of justice, not threats. Larisa has increased the requirements for documentation — she is wary. Kovtun demands emission data. Sofia has launched a campaign against development. All this means one thing: I need to provide facts and figures first, show the pace of modernization, agree on the letter with the bank, so that when journalists and activists ask, all three voices (plant, trade union, bank) sing together. The cash is falling, the debt is UAH 200 million, but I see a way out. Tomorrow is the day.

Options

1. Prepare materials for the meeting with Mykola, include figures on accelerating the III stage of modernization, invite Larisa to a separate meeting to show the bank the first...
2. Simply come to the meeting with Mykola ready to sign the letter without further preparation, wait for developments
3. Make a public statement about accelerating modernization by 50% today to preempt the newspaper's and activists' narrative

Choice. Option 1. I need a system, not haste. Mykola carries the letter - it's a shield. Larisa needs documents - I give them to her. The cash register will fall, but facts and partner agreements will give me credit. Control over information begins with control over dates and degrees.

Statement: «PrJSC "Lytvyn-Khim" is launching an accelerated program for the III stage of modernization of treatment facilities with completion by December 2026. In parallel, a 90-day pilot of independent emission control continues with regular public measurement protocols. This is not just modernization - it is a partnership of the plant, the trade union, and the city for fair production.»

Diary. November 11. Cash register UAH 145 mln, debt UAH 200 mln. The newspaper is out, activists and journalists are waiting for facts. Mykola will deliver the letter to the bank tomorrow - it's my shield. Larisa has intensified her demands - it's an opportunity to show that I control, not rule. I give her a package of documents, the plan for stage III, and figures on environmental monitoring. If Mykola, Larisa, and I speak the same language of justice and...

Outcome. "Lytvyn-Khim" launches the "Fair Modernization" program for treatment facilities with independent monitoring

World engine: The factory's cash (UAH 160 mln) covers UAH 27 mln of modernization; laboratory and consultant expenses are within own funds.

Place: Saint Michael's Cathedral

Thoughts

Petro and Mykola have signaled - they are waiting for actions, not words. A technical tour in front of journalists is not a threat, it's an opportunity. If I go there with a concrete plan and launch monitoring under the control of the trade union and independent experts, journalists and activists will have no material for attack. The cash desk is tense, but I understand: it's better to invest UAH 12-15 million in image now than to lose control of the narrative later. Petro wants numbers - I will give numbers. Mykola wants guarantees for workers - I will give guarantees. This is not altruism, it's control.

Options

1. Write Petro a detailed plan for the budget committee, agree with Mykola on the date of the technical tour, launch the first phase of treatment facility modernization
2. Wait for the official request from the council, first ask Larysa for a UAH 25 million loan as a buffer, then outline the plan
3. Launch modernization without council approval, preempt activists with facts and figures, show independence

Choice. I choose the first option - control through partnership, not avoidance. If I offer fairness on my own terms, I control the game.

Statement: «"Lytvyn-Khim" is launching the "Fair Modernization" program - an investment of UAH 27 million in the reconstruction of treatment facilities and the implementation of an independent eco-monitoring system. This is not just a production project - it is a new responsibility to the workers and the city. The trade union and independent experts will have full access to real-time monitoring data. Journalists are invited to a public technical tour on November 3. We are building trust through transparency."»

Diary. October 30. Cash desk -163 million - the limit, but I see a move. Petro and Mykola are waiting for facts, not words. I'm giving them both - a detailed modernization plan for UAH 27 million, independent eco-monitoring, a public technical tour. If everything goes well, journalists and activists will write about me as a leader of justice, not as a persecuted person. By November, emissions will decrease numerically. This is my...

Outcome. Lytvyn publicly supported transparency and readiness for environmental monitoring of the plant

World engine: Statements and meetings without financial changes this round; modernization for UAH 27 mln is just an announcement, no specific expenses are indicated.

Place: Khimselyshche industrial zone

Thoughts

Mykola is approaching me not as an enemy, but as an ally. The commission meeting in front of journalists is an opportunity. If I attend, I will hear their proposals, show myself as a reasonable manager, not an enemy of ecology. Sofia is already moving – the newspaper and activists will close in on me, but if I give them facts and figures first, I will control the narrative. No need to wait for an investigation, I need to preempt it. Modernization at UAH 27 million is not a sacrifice, it's an investment in control. If Mykola and the commission issue a letter for the bank, if I present myself as a leader of justice, then Larysa will be more ready for the loan. And then I will persuade Kostiantyn to speed up the III stage of treatment facilities. The numbers will speak, the investigation will fall.

Options

1. Attend the meeting at 3:00 PM, present myself as ready for modernization and environmental monitoring, support the letter for the bank.
2. Write to Mykola that I cannot make it tomorrow, but I am ready to meet with him separately and lobby for the letter.
3. Ignore the invitation and contact Petro Onyshchenko directly to build an alternative coalition.

Choice. Attend the meeting. This is my strategy – to be visible, transparent, a leader. If I hide, Sofia and the newspaper will write a story without me. If I come, I dictate the terms and image.

Statement: «Hryhorii Lytvyn, owner of PrAT "Lytvyn-Khim": "I have always said that 2,400 families work for me and I am responsible to this city. Modernization worth UAH 27 million is not advertising, it's a fact. Tomorrow, the commission and journalists will see how we invest. Environmental monitoring, guarantees for workers, justice – these are not words, this is my contract with Cherkasy. I will join the letter for the bank if it is fair to everyone: to the workers, to the city, to the profit..."»

Diary. October 20. Mykola invites me to a commission meeting in front of journalists. Is it a trap or a chance? I choose a chance. If I come as a leader of justice, not as a pursued person, numbers and facts will speak for me. Kostiantyn will finish the III stage by November, emissions will drop, the newspaper and activists will have no reason. This is my game for survival and control.

World engine: Personal invitation to a meeting without financial consequences this turn.

Place: Khimselyshche industrial zone

Thoughts

I control the most in the city - 2,400 people depend on me, this is real power. But my reputation is average, and that means people doubt. My diary shows me one thing: if I wait until activists and the newspaper start digging into my expenditures, I will be in a panic defense. It's better to be proactive. Now I am in a comfortable position - cash UAH 150 million, debt UAH 200 million, but I am taking control into my own hands. The first step is to strengthen the alliance with Petro in the council, find out what political levers are needed for modernization. Then with Mykola - he is mine through the trade union, but we need to negotiate figures and conditions. If I show that I am moving first, not waiting for orders, people will believe.

Options

1. Meet with Petro Onyshchenko - discuss city council support for modernization and find out what blockages the opposition is preparing
2. Wait a month and observe the moves made by the newspaper and activists before I reveal myself
3. Immediately launch an independent environmental audit and announce it publicly - to preempt investigations

Choice. Meet with Petro Onyshchenko. This is a tactical meeting: he is the head of the budget committee and manages the "City Team". If I protect my people from the opposition and offer him support for my business, he will have a reason to defend me in the council.

Diary. October 10. I've started. I have plans in my hands that can change the game. If I am the first to approach Petro with figures and results, instead of waiting for orders or accusations, I will control the narrative about my factory. Modernization for UAH 30 million is not altruism, it is a shield. When people see new investments and jobs, they don't hear activists. Petro knows how to play this...