Karma and banks: russian shitbank strikes back

In 2019 I had money and I decided to implement my old dream: started a literature crypto bar in the center of Kyiv (Ukraine). Although from a financial point of view it was a failure, I think I managed to create it almost like I imagined: with great audience, lots of books, and the convergence of art, political and economical discussions. Who knows maybe it was the first bar in the world which had its own currency. In few months we had more events than other spaces do in a year, there were days when we had 3 events (morning, day and evening). However, the short life of crypto bar was ended by a raider attack organized by a bank. Yes, that's ironic that one of top banks destroyed the crypto-project. But "nothing personal", they were just interested in real estate.

The bank was Alfa-bank (which acted on behalf of Ukrsotsbank, which was bought by Alfa-bank before). They put the real estate on sale (the price was around $148 000) and I need to say this was not my real estate, I rented it, otherwise, I would fight for it. But I gave up, because if I would kick back the attack - they would return, the bar can't work in the conditions of constant danger, who would visit it? I don't know if somebody bought it or not, I really doubt it as for almost 150K you have very big options for what to buy even in the center. But for all 3 years - the real estate was not used. So it means the bank or new owners lost money. Let's count - 3 years that's 36 months x $1750 (that's what I paid a month) = $63 000 - so they lost this big, huge amount of money, just because real estate was not rented.

Part II. Somewhere at the end of 2021 or the beginning of 2022, I created an account with Alfa-bank and its Sense app - there was a contest to win Tesla. I had an idea in mind that if I win this Tesla - this will be right karma, and we will be equal with a bank. I didn't win it, but I used the credit line of a bank - firstly it was a few thousand UAH, and then at the maximum, it was 20 000 UAH (at that time around $800). For entrepreneurs, it's always good to have an additional source of capital.

After russian full-scale attack, the credit limit was canceled, and of course if I would knew - I would use my limit on maximum, but I only used few thousand hryvnas (maybe around $200)

And I'm not willing to pay it, because Alfa-bank is russian bank, which belongs to russian oligarch, who is maybe not so big friend of putin - but still, that's russian capital.

What's funny is that after russian troops withdrew from the Kyiv region and economic life in the capital and other regions was restored - Alfa-bank started to call me and ask to pay my loan. They call like in a way of these annoying spammers, trying to make psychological pressure, and I say to them that I won't pay a single cent to russian bank, someday in the future, I think it will be nationalized and then I can pay my loan. But they keep calling, they speak Ukrainian and try to persuade me that it's not a russian bank. Of course, the owners hide under offshore companies, but from what I read and heard from the news - this doesn't matter, as the owners are still the same.

They even threatened me, but all that happened, when real death and suffering were so near - who cares about having a negative credit history... I don't care, also because cryptocurrencies are the future, which will bring more financial instruments and opportunities.

But just recently state-owned bank Privatbank canceled my credit limit (it was only 3000 UAH, so less than $100, but I used it). This really surprised me, and fortunately, another bank Monobank didn't cancel its limit (as there it is much higher and I use it for years). That's a small thing -but not a pleasant one, that shitty russian bank is still operating and causing "problems". I won't pay them a cent, I would better pay huge interest after the bank changes ownership or I would be kicked out completely from the banking system - but I won't pay a cent knowing that this small amount can go to the enemy and killers of my people...

And of course, I'm curious - what will happen with crypto-bar real estate? Maybe the previous owners will win in court and will get it back. Then they can rent it to me, they still owe me some money - and the crypto bar can reopen. Kyiv will become one of the major crypto capitals (Vitalik Buterin visited Kyiv recently) and the crypto industry will grow... The alfa-bank will of course either be nationalized or will collapse.