Ukraine’s richest man promises to spend money on rebuilding Mariupol
Billionaire Rinat Akhmetov – Photo: thetimes.co.uk
On April 16, Reuters news agency quoted billionaire Rinat Akhmetov as saying that his goal is to return Mariupol and open new factories so that the country’s steel industry can compete in the world market as before.
“I believe that the SCM Corporation, the largest private enterprise in the country, will play a key role in the reconstruction of post-war Ukraine. We will need an unprecedented international reconstruction program, a Marshall Plan. for Ukraine,” said Akhmetov confidently.
The Marshall Plan was an American initiative activated in 1948 to provide foreign aid to Western Europe after World War II.
According to the magazine’s estimate ForbesMr. Akhmetov’s fortune in 2013 was 15.4 billion USD and now it is 3.9 billion USD.
His company Metinvest runs the Azvostal plant, one of Europe’s largest metallurgical plants. This company produces millions of tons of iron, steel and coil products every year. Metinvest produced 45% of Ukraine’s steel output last year.
Mr. Akhmetov said the city Mariupol The siege for more than a month has reduced Ukraine’s metallurgical production capacity by one-third.
Analysts predict Mariupol could become the first major Ukrainian city to fall next week, according to the newspaper Washington Post.
Occupying Mariupol would give Russia control of the Azov Sea coast and serve as a land bridge between separatist-held eastern Ukraine and Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014.
However, Russia has not yet captured the Azovstal steel plant. Earlier, billionaire Akhmetov stated that his Metinvest company would not work if it fell into Russian hands.
According to the sheet Daily News HungaryAkhmetov once left Ukraine but returned on February 23 after President Volodymyr Zelensky criticized the country’s wealthy for fleeing abroad for fear of Russia sending troops to attack.
Upon his return, Mr. Akhmetov pledged to help the people overcome the war.
at Blogtuan.info – Source: tuoitre.vn – Read the original article here
