Rinat Akhmetov has seen his business empire collapse after eight years of fighting in eastern Ukraine, but he remains provocative, confident that what he calls “our brave soldiers” will defend the Azov Sea city that has been deserted by seven weeks of bombing. For now, however, Metinvest, Ukraine’s largest steelmaker, has said it can not deliver on its supply contracts, and while SCM’s financial and industrial group is meeting its obligations, private power company DTEK “has optimize the payment of its debts »agreement with creditors.

		Read more: Mariupol, Ukraine withstands relentless Russian bombing

The story goes on under the ad “Mariupol is a global tragedy and a global example of heroism. “For me, Mariupol has been and will always be a Ukrainian city,” Akhmetov told Reuters in response to written questions. “I believe that our brave soldiers will defend the city, although I understand how difficult and difficult it is for them,” he said, adding that he was in daily contact with Metinvest executives who run the Azovstal and Illich Iron and Steel Works plants in Mariupol. . 2:04 Family escapes from the besieged Ukrainian city of Mariupol Family escapes from the besieged Ukrainian city of Mariupol – April 6, 2022 On Friday, Metinvest said it would never operate under Russian occupation and that the siege of Mariupol had deactivated more than a third of Ukraine’s metallurgical capacity. Akhmetov praised President Volodymyr Zelensky’s “passion and professionalism” during the war, ostensibly normalizing relations after the Ukrainian leader said last year that conspirators hoping to overthrow his government had tried to involve the businessman. Trending Stories

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The story goes on under the ad Akhmetov called the allegation an “absolute lie” at the time. “And war is definitely not the time for confrontation … We will rebuild the whole of Ukraine,” he said, adding that he returned to the country on February 23 and has been there ever since.

“A Marshall Plan for Ukraine”

Akhmetov did not say exactly where he was, but that he was in Mariupol on February 16, the day some Western intelligence services were waiting for the invasion to begin. “I talked to people on the streets, I met with workers,” he said. “My ambition is to return to a Ukrainian Mariupol and implement our (new production) plans so that the steel produced in Mariupol can compete in world markets as before.” Russia invaded on February 24 when President Vladimir Putin announced a “special operation” to demilitarize and “denationalize” the country. Kyiv and its Western allies dismiss it as a false pretext for an unprovoked attack.

		Read more: Here’s why Russia is following Mariupol – and why it may not be the game change it once was

Akhmetov, Ukraine’s richest man by far, has seen his business empire shrink since 2014, when Russia annexed the Crimean Black Sea peninsula and two parts of eastern Ukraine – Donetsk and Luhansk. from Kyiv. The story goes on under the ad Exhausted refugees from Mariupol and Melitopol share the painful journey as they arrive in Zaporizhia, Ukraine Exhausted refugees from Mariupol, Melitopolis share a painful journey as they arrive in Zaporizhia, Ukraine22 – April 2 According to Forbes magazine, Akhmetov’s net worth in 2013 reached $ 15.4 billion. It currently stands at $ 3.9 billion. “For us, the war broke out in 2014. We lost all our assets both in the Crimea and in the temporarily occupied territories of Donbass. “We lost our businesses, but it made us tougher and stronger,” he said. “I am confident that, as the largest private company in the country, SCM will play a key role in the post-war reconstruction of Ukraine,” he said, citing officials as saying the damage from the war had reached $ 1 trillion. “We will definitely need an unprecedented international reconstruction program, a Marshall Plan for Ukraine,” he said, referring to the US aid program that helped rebuild Western Europe after World War II. “I believe that we will all rebuild a free, European, democratic and prosperous Ukraine after our victory in this war.” The story goes on under the ad (Report by Elizabeth Piper, edited by John Stonestreet)