Rinat Akhmetov

Rinat Akhmetov Foundation’s Museum of Civilian Voices Offers Resources on Ukrainian Experiences Throughout the Invasion by Russia

KYIV, Ukraine , /PRNewswire/ — The Rinat Akhmetov Foundation’s Museum of Civilian Voices, the largest collection of firsthand accounts from Ukrainians affected by Russian aggression, offers all resources from archive. The Museum has collected over 30,000 firsthand stories that share the impact of the invasion through interviews, pictures, and videos. The Museum is now sharing such resources and stories with anyone researching the war, documenting the tragedies, reporting on the circumstances, and wanting to learn about the personal impacts of the invasion.

The Foundation became the holder of thousands of stories from Donbas civilians in 2014 after the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation deployed the “Here to Help” Humanitarian Centre, which helped millions of Ukrainians. The Museum’s mission is to collect, organize, and share the stories of Ukrainian civilians with those who seek to better understand life under war conditions and those looking to foster a better future.

Natalya Yemchenko, SCM Group Director of Public Relations and Communications and Member of the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation Supervisory Board stated, “We are proud to share the voices of those affected by war at the hand of Russia and to maintain our distinct and cultural voice as Ukrainians. It is important to share the firsthand experience and the harrowing stories of our brave people.”

“We must remember the stories, the tragedies, and the heinous acts committed on our land, not just the statistics reported. The testimonies housed by the Museum of Civilian Voices are important in maintaining the identity of the people affected and in maintaining the truth about what happened to Ukrainians. These stories live here, without censorship, the way they should be told,” said Oleksii Sukhanov, Ambassador of the Museum of Civilian Voices, Ukrainian journalist, and host of the social talk show “Ukraine Speaks.”

To learn more about the Museum of Civilians voices, visit: https://civilvoicesmuseum.org/en

About the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation:

The Rinat Akhmetov Foundation has provided relief and life-saving resources to the most vulnerable Ukrainians during the invasion. The Foundation is Ukraine’s biggest private charity. Today, the Foundation implements three large-scale programs: Rinat Akhmetov — Saving Lives, Rinat Akhmetov — Here to Help, and Rinat Akhmetov for Children.

SOURCE Rinat Akhmetov Foundation

Originally published at https://www.prnewswire.com.

Aid from Rinat Akhmetov has reached more than 12 million residents of Ukraine since the beginning of the full-scale war. In particular, the areas where assistance has been provided in this period are the following:

• SCM businesses of Rinat Akhmetov restored access to electricity and telecommunications for almost 9 million people
• Humanitarian aid from Rinat Akhmetov helped more than 3 million people survive.

Thanks to the joined efforts, today we are able to help millions and be the largest private humanitarian initiative.

The Rinat Akhmetov Foundation has already provided more than 600,000 units of medicines and more than 60,000 blood transfusion bags for residents of Ukraine. Citizens in the most vulnerable social groups receive food assistance packages and hygiene products from the Foundation on a permanent basis.

In addition, in view of the duration of the war and people’s growing need for humanitarian support, Rinat Akhmetov decided to double the amount of provided food aid. The total number of food assistance packages residents of Ukraine will receive is 400,000. Overall, since the beginning of the full-scale war, SCM businesses, the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation and Shakhtar football club have provided assistance to Ukraine and Ukrainians worth UAH 3 billion or USD 100 million.

The Foundation has become a partner of support centres for IDPs I am Mariupol, and systematically provides assistance to forced IDPs from the city.

The Foundation also collects stories for the Museum of Civilian Voices, which is the world’s largest archive of stories from civilians in Ukraine who suffered from the war. The Museum’s archive already has more than 30,000 stories.

The assistance is provided in the framework of the program Rinat Akhmetov — Saving Lives.

Originally published at https://akhmetovfoundation.org on August 8, 2022.

“The status of an EU candidate country is a demand of the Ukrainian people to create a free democratic European country without corruption”

Rinat Akhmetov gave an interview to the popular Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera

Are your companies and your self contributing to the war effort, maybe by the operation of Metinvest’s production lines?

Rinat Akhmetov: “Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, SCM businesses as well as my Foundation and FC Shakhtar have thrown all their efforts to help Ukraine and Ukrainians.

As of today, I have allocated €100 million in aid to Ukraine through my Foundation. Over €90 million have been already disbursed.

We are helping the Ukrainian army and territorial defenders. Where possible, we work to cover the battlefront needs. Our steel mills make anti-tank hedgehogs, and we have made and donated 100,000 bulletproof vests for the defenders of Ukraine.

We are helping the civilians who have suffered from the Russian aggression: we bring food and medicines. Our power engineers often risk their lives restoring power lines and helping Ukrainian cities, towns and villages return to normalcy.

We are working for the victory of Ukraine, including on the economic front. Being the largest taxpayer of Ukraine we have paid €1.2 billion in taxes in H1 alone”.

You made a decision to withdraw from the media business in Ukraine, even as you invest in media distribution in Poland. Can you tell us how your decision came to be?

Rinat Akhmetov: “There is only one reason behind this decision: a discriminative law on oligarchs has entered into force. This is a hard and involuntary decision, which I made with a heavy heart. We started developing media business in 2000 and the total investment in the media holding exceeded $1.5 billion. The “Ukraine” and “Ukraine 24” TV channels are the country’s broadcasting leaders. Our star team included 4,000 employees who have managed to create real media outlet, which is free, professional and interesting at the same time. With the outbreak of a large-scale war and a short six-month grace period provided for by the law for the sale of assets it became impossible for SCM to sell its large media business on market terms. The law entered into force, it was not cancelled and under the law I was obliged to give up my media assets. So I had to surrender all of the broadcasting licenses and transfer them to the state as well as discontinue electronic and print media ventures. As to the media development in Poland and other countries, the decision has not been made yet”.

Are you concerned Gazprom might cut off supplies to Ukraine entirely in the event supplies to the EU will decline to near-zero too? In that case, how might Ukraine ensure its energy needs?

Rinat Akhmetov: “As the largest private producer of coal and gas, we ensure Ukraine’s energy independence. But the upcoming winter will not be easy. We will do everything that depends on us: from providing heat and electricity to Ukrainian households to meeting energy needs. The energy problem should be the priority for the Ukrainian authorities because it is another intensive battlefront of the war. SCM companies have not bought gas from Gazprom, not a single cubic meter, neither has Ukraine since 2015”.

You own substantial industrial plants in Russian-occupied areas: can you tell us what are the plants over which you have lost control at this time and what their value is?

Rinat Akhmetov: “Following the large-scale offensive of the Russian Federation on 24 February 2022, such plants as Azovstal, Ilyich Iron and Steel Works of Mariupol, Avdiivka Coke, Luhansk TPP, and dozens of other industrial infrastructure and green energy facilities have been partially or completely destroyed or mothballed. The pre-war capitalisation of these assets amounted to dozens of billions US dollars. The replacement cost estimates show that the losses incurred by Azovstal and Ilyich Iron and Steel Works due to Russian aggression vary from $17bn to $20bn. As the war is still going on, we can’t know the final amount of reparations, but the loss estimates stand at dozens of billions of dollars. In addition, right now the Russian Federation is cynically stealing our grain as well as steel in Mariupol. The total cost of ready-made products, raw materials, and semi-finished products stolen by Russian Federation makes about $1 billion”.

Are you planning to sue Russia in an international commercial court? If so, how high is the claim going to be?

Rinat Akhmetov: “I have already filed my first lawsuit against Russia with the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR). The final amount of losses will be determined following additional evaluations and estimates. Also, we are pursuing international arbitration proceedings against Russia regarding the assets that have been stolen by Russia as a result of illegal annexation of Crimea. My team includes the best Ukrainian and foreign lawyers, who will use all possible mechanisms in national and international courts to hold Russia accountable and force it TO pay tens of billions of dollars in losses. Russia’s unjustified and brutal aggression against Ukraine has put a key question on the world’s agenda: the consistency, fairness and effectiveness of the global legal system created after World War II. The question is whether it can punish an aggressor like Russia, force it to make reparations and ensure that reparations are paid in full. It іs order that makes the world go round, and it’s the inevitability of punishment for its violation that makes it work. That means we need to improve the world order”.

There is an understanding in Brussels that Ukraine’s candidate status should go along with some reforms — stronger anti-corruption and anti-money laundering checks and a law that would limit the oligarchs’ clout over the country’s economic and political life. Do you think Ukraine is ready of such reforms and the right time to pass them is now?

Rinat Akhmetov: “The European Commission made it clear that the law on oligarchs should be implemented in a legally sound manner, taking into account the forthcoming opinion of the Venice Commission on the relevant legislation. Last year, Ukraine applied to the Venice Commission for a recommendation, but still validated the law without waiting for its final conclusions. I am sure that if a similar law existed in Italy or any other country of the free world, the courts would be inundated with absolutely fair lawsuits and complaints about the provisions of the law. The status of an EU candidate country is not just a chance to build a new European country, it is a demand of the Ukrainian people to create a free democratic European country without corruption, with a market economy, fair and independent courts, freedom of speech and a functioning institution of power. This is also a way to really get rid of the oligarchy. We won’t get another chance. It is our historical responsibility to do it now. I am confident that this is exactly what will happen”.

How sustainable is Ukraine economically if the country does NOT recover the territories that are now under Russia’s control?

Rinat Akhmetov: “We have suffered significant economic losses: we are running huge budget deficit of 35%, we have lost one fifth of our territory, half of GDP, one third of overall steelmaking capacity, 40% of grain export, energy businesses, and infrastructure facilities. And worst of all, an estimated 11 million Ukrainians have left Ukraine for neighbouring countries or become internally displaced persons. To restore economic sovereignty, we must first and foremost restore territorial sovereignty — return the territories seized by Putin’s regime. Now Ukraine’s economy is directly dependent on support from the West, and I am grateful to those who provide this support, including Italy”.

There are calls in Europe for Ukraine to think about negotiating a ceasfire, maybe in the Autumn. Would you say such perspective would make sense?

Rinat Akhmetov: “The war kills people, destroys our lives and ruins our future. I am for peace, but on exclusively Ukraine’s terms and conditions, which means the withdrawal of all Russian troops from the territory of Ukraine and the return of full control over those territories to Ukraine. Russia, which attacked Ukraine, is not ready for this scenario at this stage. It is important to understand that Ukraine is fighting both for its own freedom as well as for your freedom. This means that we are in this fight together, and we must win it”.

By Federico Fubini

Originally published at https://akhmetovfoundation.org on July 19, 2022.

30,000 stories: Ukraine’s Museum of Civilian Voices collects firsthand testimonies about the war. Why is it important?

Since 2014, the Museum of Civilian Voices of the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation has been collecting, preserving, and sharing stories about life during the war in Ukraine. Currently, the Museum’s archive already includes 30,000 firsthand stories.

This is the world’s largest archive of stories of civilians who have become victims or witnesses of war.

The primary goal of the Museum is to become a reliable source of information so that not a single story, not a single voice, not a single crime of Russia in Ukraine is forgotten. It is important to preserve the memory of the past and the present for a peaceful, better future for Ukraine.

However, the Museum has another meaningful vocation: it is a unique psychotherapeutic project that promotes the psychological well-being and mental health of the people of Ukraine who went through the war.

Telling stories has a certain healing effect. In the process of a frank conversation, a person can share their own pain, and also learn through the website of the Museum about those who have similar feelings and experiences. Telling stories is a part of psychotherapeutic work with trauma, which really gives a result.

Workers and volunteers of the Museum of Civilian Voices of the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation continue to communicate with people and record their stories.

The Rinat Akhmetov Foundation is Ukraine’s biggest private charity. Since 2014, the humanitarian aid the Foundation provided helped save millions of people from Donbass. Thousands of them shared their stories with the Foundation, so they were put together as a unique online museum. Since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, the Museum has become an archive of the tragedies of the whole Ukrainian nation.

To share a story, anyone can visit the Museum’s portal and click on the “Tell a story” button in the top right corner of the main page. Another option is to call the toll-free hotline 0 (800) 509 001 in Ukraine.

Originally published at https://akhmetovfoundation.org on April 8, 2022.

Rinat Akhmetov is no stranger when it comes to Russian aggression in Ukraine. In 2014, his hometown of Donetsk fell to Russian forces and all his assets in the region became virtually worthless overnight.

For the Ukrainian businessman, however, this setback did nothing to stifle the humanitarian and philanthropic efforts of his charitable foundation — the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation — and his SCM Group assets, all of which have been heavily involved in helping to support Ukrainian citizens affected by the annexation of Crimea and the war in Donbas.

Akhmetov’s February visit to Mariupol

With threats of a fresh invasion looming in mid-February, however, Rinat Akhmetov, who faced criticism for apparently fleeing the country aboard his private jet, quickly returned to his home country. He immediately headed for the port city of Mariupol where his steel and mining conglomerate, Metinvest, is headquartered to speak to and reassure his people on the ground.

“Today, the entire world worries about us,” he told his employees during his visit to the Metinvest facility on February 16 th. Akhmetov went on to thank them for their unwavering loyalty amid “uneasy, dangerous, and anxious times”, promising a series of new investments. Akhmetov also talked about his own home city of Donetsk and how it has been occupied for the past eight years, arguing that peace can only be achieved in a “united and happy Ukraine”.

Akhmetov, who visited the facility along with Vadym Novynskyi, also announced that his employees would be receiving increases in pay. “We believe in Mariupol, we believe in Ukraine”, he said. Akhmetov has significant holdings in the region, including the Metinvest Group mining and steel-making conglomerate. “We’ll continue working, we’ll continue building, we’ll continue investing,” he added.

He also told employees that this time around, he is preparing for the worst. “I have already instructed my foundation to help with evacuation, medicines and everything necessary, if needed. We will do everything to prevent a humanitarian disaster,” he assured employees shortly before Russia launched its latest attack on Ukraine.

Stepping up support following attacks on the port city

It wasn’t long until Rinat Akhmetov’s worst fears manifested. Since his visit, fierce fighting broke out in the port city of Mariupol as Russian forces battle to gain control of what would be a strategic location for the invading troops. Putin had already indicated his interest in the city several years ago when Russian troops invaded the Ukrainian regions of Donetsk and Luhansk in 2014. Mariupol sits on the Sea of Azov and is home to approximately half a million people.

The attack on Mariupol has been particularly ruthless. Endless distressing imagery and footage has surfaced showing Russian troops attacking everything from the homes of private citizens to grocery stores and medical facilities, including a maternity hospital, with heavy artillery and airstrikes. This has resulted in significant loss of life that’s already estimated to be in the thousands.

“I can’t wrap my head around the fact that Mariupol is in a complete blockade in 2022, that people are forced to hide in the workshops of our production plants,” Akhmetov recently told reporters at Forbes Ukraine.

“In wartime, our company operates accordingly. Now our utmost goal is to help Ukrainians survive and withstand,” he added.

Despite he and his companies facing significant financial setbacks — his personal fortune is estimated to have dropped from $US14 billion to $US6 billion in just two weeks — Akhmetov has confirmed that his workers are still receiving salaries and that philanthropic efforts will continue as normal. “Today, all our businesses focus all their efforts on helping people.”

The Rinat Akhmetov Foundation has also stepped in to provide relief, just as it did in the wake of Russia’s 2014 invasions.

“My Foundation is helping Ukrainians survive by providing water, food, medicines, and any help we can give here and now. SCM businesses are helping the army and territorial defence forces to defend our sovereignty, our freedom and independence, and win the war.”

Akhmetov on stopping Putin

When asked by Forbes about what he believes needs to be done to stop Putin, Rinat Akhmetov responded, “We see the united action of the western world on an unprecedented scale. I am deeply grateful to our international partners for that. What else can and must they do? I believe everything that Ukraine, the Ukrainian people and the Ukrainian President are asking for.”

While many European nations have stepped up to provide their support, more still needs to be done. European leaders, including the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, have pledged to provide yet more assistance to the war-torn country. In a phone call to President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday, March 18, Johnson said, “We know that we must do more to help. I pledge to you that we will.”

As for what will bring the war to an end, Akhmetov says that nothing short of a complete withdrawal of Russian forces, a total ceasefire, and the full restoration of the internationally recognized borders of Ukraine will be sufficient — including those of Crimea and Donbas.

“My heart bleeds from what is happening now in Mariupol: from the fact that Mariupol residents are hiding from shelling in the shops of our factories; from the fact that our power engineers are doing everything possible and impossible to make it light and warm,” Akhmetov said.

Setting aside differences for the greater good

The ongoing situation in Ukraine has prompted Akhmetov, other Ukrainian billionaires, and politicians to set aside their differences and close ranks with the authorities in Kyiv.

According to recent reports, a large meeting between Ukraine’s rich elite and the government of President Volodymyr Zelensky took place in the weeks leading up to Russia’s invasion. While the details of this meeting have not been disclosed, it is thought that the billionaires declared their readiness to help with a range of support measures ranging from the funding of the Ukrainian military to utilising their business assets to produce weapons and other munitions.

Originally published at https://www.otsnews.co.uk on March 29, 2022.

As Ukrainian citizens took to the streets of Mariupol, which is home to half a million people, to protest Russia’s aggressive and unwarranted invasion, the country’s richest citizen, businessman Rinat Akhmetov, doubled down to reaffirm his loyalty to his nation and the government.

Akhmetov, who arrived in the port city of Mariupol on his private jet after facing fierce criticism for leaving the country just a few weeks earlier, spoke to his workers at a Metinvest facility that’s based in the city. During his speech at the facility, Akhmetov announced that he would continue to make significant investments in his business and country, “no matter what dreadful scenarios we face.”

“Today, the entire world worries about us,” he told his employees during his visit, thanking them for their unwavering loyalty amid “uneasy, dangerous, and anxious times” and promised new investments.

“In wartime, our company operates accordingly. Now our utmost goal is to help Ukrainians survive and withstand,” the billionaire recently said to Forbes Ukraine.

Akhmetov knows exactly what’s at stake

Rinat Akhmetov, the son of a coal miner, went on to talk about his home city of Donetsk, a place that he has not returned to since Russia’s invasion and annexation of the region in 2014.

Akhmetov himself had been hit hard by the 2014 invasion, with several of his assets-including real estate, gas stations, and the home stadium of his football team, Shakhtar Donetsk -falling to the Russians and becoming virtually worthless in a matter of days when the city was seized.

This time, Akhmetov says that he is preparing for the worst. “I have already instructed my foundation to help with evacuation, medicines and everything necessary, if needed. We will do everything to prevent a humanitarian disaster,” he said two days before Russia’s invasion.

Mariupol attacked by Russian forces

Indeed, Akhmetov’s fears were not unfounded. Fierce fighting broke out in the port city of Mariupol as Russian troops reached the city centre. Distressing images have been seen around the world as Russian forces ruthlessly shelled grocery stores, hospitals, and homes with heavy artillery, resulting in a significant loss of civilian life.

Latest estimates say that more than 2,300 people have died since Russia’s invasion of the city. On Wednesday, March 9, a maternity hospital was completely destroyed by a Russian airstrike.

“I can’t wrap my head around the fact that Mariupol is in a complete blockade in 2022, that people are forced to hide in the workshops of our production plants,” Akhmetov said when speaking to Forbes Ukraine. “It is impossible to hear or talk about it without tears in your eyes that people melt snow and drink meltwater to stay alive. That a 6-year-old girl died of dehydration under rubble at the centre of Europe.”

The billionaire businessman, who is Ukraine’s richest person, saw his personal fortune drop from $US14 billion to less than $US6 billion in just two weeks due to the attack on Ukraine.

When asked what needs to be done to stop Putin, Akhmetov said, “We see the united action of the western world on an unprecedented scale. I am deeply grateful to our international partners for that. What else can and must they do? I believe everything that Ukraine, the Ukrainian people and the Ukrainian President are asking for.”

Recently, European leaders have pledged to provide more assistance to Ukraine. This includes UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson who, during a telephone call with President Zelensky on Friday, March 18, vowed to stand with Ukraine at a time when its people are “facing such horror with such courage”.

Mr. Johnson said he told Mr. Zelensky: “We know that we must do more to help. I pledge to you that we will.”

As for what Akhmetov finds acceptable, he says that nothing less than a total ceasefire and complete withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine will lead to victory, adding, “…and full restoration of the internationally recognised borders of Ukraine. That includes Crimea and Donbas.”

Despite the financial setbacks faced by Akhmetov and his companies, he has confirmed that his workers are still receiving salaries. “Today, all our businesses focus all their efforts on helping people.”

Rinat Akhmetov Foundation has also stepped in

Just like it did in the wake of the war in Donbas, Rinat Akhmetov’s charity — the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation — has stepped in to provide relief to those affected by the conflict.

“My heart bleeds from what is happening now in Mariupol: from the fact that Mariupol residents are hiding from shelling in the shops of our factories; from the fact that our power engineers are doing everything possible and impossible to make it light and warm.

“My Foundation is helping Ukrainians survive by providing water, food, medicines, and any help we can give here and now. SCM businesses are helping the army and territorial defence forces to defend our sovereignty, our freedom and independence, and win the war.”

The Foundation, which was founded prior to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, was established to affect real change in the country by solving social injustices. According to the Foundation’s website, its mission is to, “Work for people by eliminating pressing social problems by adopting the best experience gained in Ukraine and abroad; by creating unique system decisions; by achieving the best results with each of our projects and activities.”

It goes without saying that absolutely all the Foundation’s resources, and indeed the resources of Akhmetov’s other business assets Metinvest and SCM Group, will be wholly focused on the present situation in Mariupol and other parts of the country that have fallen victim to Russian aggression.

Originally published at https://londonlovesbusiness.com on March 29, 2022.

Rinat Akhmetov, whose fortune has fallen by more than $8 billion since Putin attacked Ukraine, vows to help his country keep fighting.

O n February 22, as hundreds took to the streets of Mariupol, Ukraine to protest Russia’s approach, the country’s richest person Rinat Akhmetov reaffirmed his loyalty to his nation and its government. Speaking from the port city of nearly half a million people where his mining conglomerate Metainvest is headquartered, he announced that he would continue to make investments in his businesses and country “no matter what dreadful scenarios we face.”

The son of a coal miner who grew up in Donetsk but has not been back since Russia’s invasion in 2014, Akhmetov knew how bad things could get. He had been hit hard by that earlier attack. Several of his assets-including real estate, dozens of gas stations and the home stadium of Shakhtar Donetsk, one of Ukraine’s most successful soccer teams-became virtually worthless overnight after the territories were seized.

This time he was preparing for the worst. “I have already instructed my foundation to help with evacuation, medicines and everything necessary, if needed. We will do everything to prevent a humanitarian disaster,” he said two days before Russia’s invasion.

Since then, his fears have come true as Russia’s ruthless attacks have reportedly left 1,200 dead in just Mariupol. On Wednesday, a maternity hospital there was destroyed by a Russian air strike. “I can’t wrap my head around the fact that Mariupol is in a complete blockade in 2022, that people are forced to hide in the workshops of our production plants,” Akhmetov said in written responses to Forbes Ukraine. “It is impossible to hear or talk about it without tears in your eyes that people melt snow and drink meltwater to stay alive. That a 6-year-old girl died of dehydration under rubble at the center of Europe.”

The billionaire, whose fortune has dropped from nearly $14 billion to less than $6 billion in just two weeks and may likely be much less, responded on Wednesday to questions from Forbes from an undisclosed location in Western Ukraine. His complete answers, provided to Forbes Ukraine, are below.

1. What must the West/the world do to stop Putin?

Akhmetov: “We see the united action of the western world on an unprecedented scale. I am deeply grateful to our international partners for that.

What else can and must they do? I believe everything that Ukraine, the Ukrainian people and the Ukrainian President are asking for.”

2. What would be a ‘victory’ for Ukraine, in your opinion?

Akhmetov: “A total ceasefire, complete withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine, and full restoration of the internationally recognized borders of Ukraine.That includes the Crimea and Donbas.”

3. Why the Russian forces target civilians, shell entire residential areas, and destroy cities? What are they aiming for?

Akhmetov: “What is unfolding here is a war crime and a crime against humanity, against Ukraine and the Ukrainians.This can neither be explained nor justified.”

4. Does this war go beyond Ukraine, is Putin aiming at Europe and the US?

Akhmetov: “Putin is aiming at countries that have democracy, freedom, and independence. So all the free world counties are potential targets. If Ukraine together with you fails to stop him, nobody knows who’s next.”

5. How is your company operating during this time?

Akhmetov: “In wartime, our company operates accordingly. Now our utmost goal is to help Ukrainians survive and withstand.”

6. What are your workers doing? Are they still being paid?

Akhmetov: “Yes, they receive salaries. Today, all our businesses focus all their efforts on helping people. I can’t wrap my head around the fact that Mariupol is in a complete blockade in 2022, that people are forced to hide in the workshops of our production plants. It is impossible to hear or talk about it without tears in your eyes that people melt snow and drink meltwater to stay alive. That a 6-year-old girl died of dehydration under rubble at the center of Europe.”

7. How are you using your international network?

Akhmetov: “SCM is an international company. Each of our employees is now using all their connections and opportunities to get the true information across to our international partners that peaceful Ukrainians are dying and suffering, that the tragedy is happening in our country.”

8. How do you help Ukraine and Ukrainians?

Akhmetov: “My Foundation is helping Ukrainians survive by providing water, food, medicines, and any help we can give here and now. SCM businesses are helping the army and territorial defense forces to defend our sovereignty, our freedom and independence, and win the war.”

9. How are you working with other business leaders?

Akhmetov: “I am working with my company and my people. I am doing everything I can. I am confident that other people are doing the same.”

10. Are you in touch with any Russian business leaders? Have any voiced any concerns about Putin’s behavior? Have any talked about trying to oust him?

Akhmetov: “No, I do not have any contacts with any Russian business representatives and I am not running any talks with any of them.”

11. How are you helping Zelensky?

Akhmetov: “First of all, we are helping Ukraine and the Ukrainian people. I have already said this: we are helping and we will keep helping people. And we will be helping our army and the territorial defense to stop the military aggression against our country.”

12. How are you spending your days now?

Akhmetov: “I am in Ukraine and I am not going to leave the country. I share the same feelings with all Ukrainians: I am sincerely waiting for the victory of Ukraine in this war. And we will start to rebuild the country to make it happier and more prosperous. On my end, I will spare no expense or effort to achieve this goal.”

Originally published at https://www.forbes.com.

In 2012, Shakhtar Donetsk found itself with the eyes of the world on it as Ukraine co-hosted that year’s European Championship football tournament. Indeed, some of Europe’s best football matches have been played at the Donbas Arena, which is home to the Ukraine football team owned by Ukrainian businessman and renowned philanthropist Rinat Akhmetov.

While 2012 was meant to bring in a new era for Ukrainian football and the wider nation as it prepared to join the European Union, a devastating civil war broke out two years later in 2014 when Eastern Ukraine fell to pro-Russian forces.

Now, seven years on, the Donbas Arena-a playing field that once hosted a Portugal v Spain football semi-final-looks very different from when it was filled with a cheering crowd of hardcore football fans. Today, it finds itself at the center of a largescale charitable organization.

Where people once upon a time would have lined up to watch some of Europe’s best football games, queues now wait for food, medicine, and clothing. This is because the stadium is now home to ‘Let’s Help the Kids’, a charity operated by Rinat Akhmetov and whose team Shakhtar Donetsk is part of a large investment holding known as System Capital Management (SCM).

Who is Rinat Akhmetov?

Rinat Akhmetov is a renowned Ukrainian billionaire businessman. He is the owner of the Ukrainian professional football club Shakhtar Donetsk and financial holding company SCM. He is also a former member of the Ukrainian Parliament — Verkhovna Rada.

Akhmetov was born into a working-class family in Donetsk. When communism finally fell in Ukraine, Rinat began building substantial wealth for himself. According to words from the man himself, his wealth was obtained by “making risky business investments” in the first few years following the collapse of the Soviet Union. In 2010, he commented that “I have earned my first million by trading coal and coke, and spent the money on assets that no one wanted to buy. It was a risk, but it was worth it”.

Some of Rinat Akhmetov’s proudest achievements, however, are his charitable ones under his namesake charitable cause.

The Rinat Akhmetov Foundation

Rinat Akhmetov’s ‘Let’s Help the Kids’ charitable effort forms part of the wider Rinat Akhmetov Foundation, a charitable organization that he founded in 2005.

The charity was founded to affect real change in Ukraine by solving the great social injustices that at the time plagued the nation, and Akhmetov planned to do this by prioritizing a social development strategy designed to drill down to the roots of Ukraine’s social problems in areas that included healthcare, education, and culture.

The Foundation’s Mission: “Work for people by eliminating pressing social problems by adopting the best experience gained in Ukraine and abroad; by creating unique system decisions; by achieving the best results with each of our projects and activities.”

The Foundation’s Principles: “The highest standards of transparency of projects and activities of the Fund at all stages: from the decision-making to summing-up.”

With each passing year since its 2005 formation, the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation keeps going from strength to strength as it makes more and more headlines for its life-changing work. Akhmetov himself has also made headlines for several large charitable donations, including:

● $900,000 to families of victims of a gas explosion that tore through an apartment complex in Dnipropetrovsk.

● $1 million to support the “Shelter Project” for the construction of a new safe confinement to cover Chernobyl’s reactor №4.

● $1 million to the victims of the 2011 earthquake in Japan. “This is a terrible tragedy, and its scope is really international,” said Akhmetov.

● UAH 300 million to help the fight against coronavirus and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

While these personal donations of Akhmetov are huge, they are nothing in comparison to the work of his Foundation.

Rinat Akhmetov’s Football Empire

To truly understand the intimate connection between Rinat Akhmetov and his football club, Shakhtar Donetsk, we need to travel back to 1995 when the club’s then-owner, Akhat Bragin, was assassinated during a football match. At the time, Akhmetov was Bragin’s number two and took immediate control over Bragin’s business activities in the Donbas region and, in 1997, the formal ownership of the football club. A 99.998 percent ownership was transferred to SCM in April 2006, which is controlled by Akhmetov and other key shareholders. Akhmetov currently retains 0.002 percent ownership.

Following his and SCM’s takeover of the club, Akhmetov completely turned it around and made it one of Ukraine’s biggest sporting successes in recent history. Going on to win nine Ukrainian championships, 12 Ukrainian cups, and the UEFA Cup (which is today the Europa League) in 2009, Shakhtar Donetsk became a global success and increased its revenue from US$30 million in 2009 to more than US$60 million in 2010 thanks to the new commercial deals that followed its UEFA Cup success.

This success didn’t come easily or cheaply, though. Akhmetov had to invest over US$1 billion into the club between 1995 and 2011 to get it to its current position. This included the cost of building the Donbas Arena and around US$90 million a year on top-tier players, all while operating at a loss and relying on Akhmetov’s personal funds to succeed.

The success of Akhmetov’s football club continued throughout the 2010s to the present day. A big reason for this is the opening of the club’s youth facility in 1999. This enabled over 3,000 children to train in one of Europe’s most modern and cutting-edge training facilities. The club also realigned its philosophy and recruited a successful international coach, Mircea Lucescu, who coached the club between 2004 and 2016 with enormous success.

Other experts from abroad were also drafted in, including Joe Palmer, an English marketing specialist who had previously worked for Manchester United. Palmer introduced club TV, the first club in the post-Soviet space to do so, and created an intense marketing campaign that made Shakhtar Donetsk one of the most recognizable football clubs in Europe.

By recognizing his own weaknesses and bringing in external specialists who truly understood the football business better than he did, Akhmetov successfully turned the humble Shakhtar team into a successful brand and football product.

A Charitable Powerhouse

Not only is Akhmetov’s club and stadium a footballing legend, it’s also a charitable powerhouse.

As a key location in the bitter conflict between Russia and Ukraine, Donetsk has been ravaged by the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war. The United Nations estimates that over 13,000 people have been killed and 1.3 million have fled their homes since it began in 2014, and those who chose to remain have suffered from years of isolation.

While the Shakhtar Donetsk football team fled the city, forced to leave when separatists took control of the city, Akhmetov’s Donetsk football stadium became the center of a huge charitable effort known as ‘Let’s Help’ which saw stockpiles of food and medical supplies take over the stadium’s grounds.

Since 2005, the Foundation has been implementing national projects aimed at helping people and fighting social challenges. Using its achievements and global charity best practices, the foundation has created and continues to create new opportunities for the entire Ukrainian society to become better and live better for the future.

This year, it will celebrate 15 years of changing lives.

Originally published at https://thebossmagazine.com on October 26, 2021.

Today, the 30th of September, marks the National Adoption Day in Ukraine. The Rinat Akhmetov Foundation has been fighting the problem of orphanhood in Ukraine since 2008. Back then, an unprecedented event took place — the first All-Ukrainian national adoption portal Rinat Akhmetov for Children. No to Orphanhood! was launched.

On the eve of the holiday, the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation traditionally held a training session for adoptive parents and foster parents. The participants of the event discussed various topics related to raising children, and the central topic was motivation for learning. Practical assignments with thematic cards and little surprises accompanied the theoretical part. The trainer Lyubov Loriashvili is an expert of the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation and a well-known specialist from the Kyiv municipal centre of social services for families, children and youth.

‘I am extremely grateful to you for this interesting training. I received a lot of important and useful information, and also refreshed my mind. Special thanks to the trainer Lyubov Loriashvili who professionally delivered all the training materials in an interesting, dynamic and comprehensible form. The team of the Foundation’s specialists is just great! I wish good health and inspiration to all the trainers and organizers. I am looking forward to new meetings,’ says foster mother Alyona Nazarenko.

The program Rinat Akhmetov for Сhildren. No to Orphanhood! is unprecedented in Ukraine. Since 2008, the Foundation has helped to create 41 family-type orphanages, which have adopted more than 400 children across the country. Today, 1,235 family-type orphanages function in Ukraine. For more than 10 years, the program has been delivering training to adoptive parents, supporting boarding school students, helping family-type orphanages and promoting family-based forms of education in society.

‘During its lifespan, the program became a leader in national adoption. It changed society’s attitude to the subject of orphanhood and made the once-taboo topic of adoption a trend. And most importantly — it helped find new families for almost 10,000 children. The breakthrough was ensured by the portal Rinat Akhmetov for Children. No to Orphanhood!, where profiles of boys and girls in dire need of parents were posted. The portal has become a bridge between adoptive parents and children from orphanages,’ says Oksana Ishchuk, the Foundation’s project manager.

Throughout the years of its work, the essence of the program remains the same. It is to help children find happiness in a family, as well as to show that adoptive parenting is a responsible, but feasible step. The Rinat Akhmetov Foundation does everything possible to ensure that every child grows up and is raised in a family, while promoting national adoption and providing support to adoptive parents, foster families and family-type orphanages.

Originally published at https://akhmetovfoundation.org on September 30, 2021.

Today, on the eve of the International Day of Peace, the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation is launching its online project One Day. The campaign runs in the framework of the initiative Civilian Voices. One Day, which is part of the nationwide project the Museum of Civilian Voices of the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation. The goal is to collect and preserve eyewitnesses’ accounts of the day when the war began for them.

‘It is extremely important for the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation to document and preserve the stories of civilians from Donbass for such human tragedies to never happen again, in the name of a better future, in the name of peace. Why is this important? First, it is important for every Ukrainian affected by the armed conflict. Because speaking out, weeping oneself out, whispering the pain is the most important part of therapy. It is about addressing the war trauma. Secondly, it is absolutely necessary for us as a nation, a state — to work with the memory of this tragedy. Without such work, we as a society carry the pain and mistakes of the past into the future and lose the chance for a better future,’ said Natalya Yemchenko, a member of the Foundation’s Supervisory Board.

The Rinat Akhmetov Foundation calls for posting of a text, a photo or a video with a memory of the day when and the circumstances under which you realized that the war began in Donbass. The relevant publication needs to be posted on social networks with the hashtags of the project #OneDay2014, #CivilianVoices, #RinatAkhmetovFoundation.

You can also invite your family, friends and relatives to share their versions of #OneDay2014. Even if this memory consists of only a few words or phrases. Even if it is only a date. Even if you think that there is nothing special in it — tell us this story. Because there are no insignificant stories for the project #OneDay2014 — each of them is important, each of them is invaluable, and each of them is absolutely unique.

You can learn more about the conditions and details of the project on the portal of the Museum of Civilian Voices.,

The project commences during the Week of Civilians, which the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation is holding in Ukraine for the fourth time in order to draw public attention to the fate of civilians whose lives the armed conflict forever divided into “before” and “after”.

The Museum of Civilian Voices of the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation is a space where civilians from Donbass can share their stories without fear or reproach. To share them in order to free themselves from the burden of silence and to enable people all over the world to understand with their minds and feel in their hearts all the pain civilians affected by the hostilities experienced. The goal of the Foundation is to collect 100,000 stories of eyewitnesses by 2025.

Originally published at https://akhmetovfoundation.org on September 22, 2021.