Today, Ukraine is engaged in a full-scale war against the Russian Federation, which began on 24 February 2022. In this difficult period for the whole country, it is very important to support people, especially victims of terrorism, in both words and actions. The richest and most influential businessman, Rinat Akhmetov, did not stand aside. His firm public statements show that he sees his country happy only in a united Ukraine.
His Foundation has been actively assisting millions of people by providing sustained humanitarian assistance. Back in 2014, the Kremlin began its propaganda in the east of Ukraine that there are a lot of pro-Russian people. But this is certainly not true, It’s just an excuse to attack a neighboring country and take over territories with huge reserves of coal and metals.
After these events, the coal magnate left eastern Ukraine and opened a relief fund for Ukrainians who had suffered as a result of an attack by the Russian army. Moreover, the billionaire continued to build his business in Ukraine, supporting his people and economy https://www.letemps.ch/monde/rinat-akhmetov-suis-fier-quazovstal-soit-bastion-resistance-marioupol.
World-famous steel plant Azovstal is owned by the largest company of the billionaire Metinvest. Akhmetov is very proud that the plant became a stronghold of resistance in the city of Mariupol. This is really true because there were more than 2000 soldiers of the army of Ukraine at the plant, including the elite regiment Azov. Also, Azovstal hosted many civilians, including children. The factory was shelled 24 hours a day by the Russian armed forces and was completely surrounded.
The occupiers did not care about the ordinary unarmed citizens there, because they believed that they were conducting a “denazification” of the population. In fact, this is only a false pretext of propaganda by the Kremlin. There were no Nazis there, as in the whole state.
Rinat Akhmetov considers the actions of the occupier’s nothing but a huge crime against humanity, which can neither be explained nor justified. The businessman also said that Putin is a threat to any country where there is freedom, democracy, and independence. The billionaire also demands the immediate withdrawal of Russia’s army and the restoration of Ukraine’s borders, which legally belong to it. The Crimean Peninsula, Donetsk, and Luhansk regions must be returned to Ukraine.
Now the businessman is suing the aggressor country at the European Court of Human Rights because his enterprises have been seriously affected by the bombings and shelling. During martial law, it is difficult to accurately estimate the amount of damage caused, but Akhmetov’s team claims that it will be billions.