Akhmetov seeks closer ties with Zelensky wrote FT

Photo: EPA

The richest Ukrainian businessman from Donetsk Rinat Akhmetov wants to be more close ally of President Vladimir Zelensky, weakening the influence of its longtime rival, the entrepreneur of the Dnieper Igor Kolomoisky. This is stated in the article of the British newspaper Financial Times, published 19 Feb.

One of the steps to neutralize Kolomoisky was the launch of a new TV channel of the media group Foundation “Ukraine 24”; representative of the environment Zelensky admitted to a British newspaper that the channel had taken a loyal attitude towards the Bank.

The group of companies of Akhmetov’s SCM said that the Donetsk businessman welcomes the economic agenda Zelensky, because the growth of Ukraine’s economy has a positive impact on the group’s assets.

A Western diplomat working in Kiev, told the newspaper that Akhmetov would like to be part of “any peace plan” Zelensky of the Donbas.

The newspaper reminds that controlled Kolomoisky Ferroalloy plants achieve reduction of tariffs for electricity, which is produced by the enterprise Foundation. A businessman from the Dnieper, whose media support helped Zelensky in the elections of 2019, demanded that antitrust authorities to limit the influence of the Foundation in the energy sector.

However, the situation around the “PrivatBank” Kolomoisky complicates the relationship with Zelensky, who was trying to reach agreement on a new credit programme with IMF, says the publication. To nationalize Kolomoisky was the top shareholder of “PrivatBank”, and in the end of 2019, claimed that the return of financial institutions under its control will happen in the near future.

Forbes estimates Akhmetov’s assets of $6.6 billion