Net Worth: $255 million

Age: 44

Marital status: Divorced, one daughter

Last year: $2.9 billion

Industry: Chemicals, energy

In 2008, at the presentation of the list of the top 50 richest Ukrainians, one journalist asked Korrespondent whether the editorial was sure that the head of the board of directors of GDF Group, Dmitry Firtash, was not a phantom but a real entrepreneur. A fair question. The co-owner of the gas trading company RosUkrEnergo (his share is 45percent) had never come to the attention of local press and had a reputation as one of the least public billionaire’s in the country. The government stepped on its two favorite calluses. First, RosUkrEnergo was removed from the supply chain of gas into Ukraine. Second, there was an information attack by the authorities on Nadra Bank, which was just about to join Firtash’s business empire. The government accused the financial institution of improper use of Hr 7.1 billion of refinancing from the National Bank, for which, in the opinion of his opponents, Firtash was responsible. The billionaire didn’t hold his nerve, and appeared on the Inter TV channel (which he controls) a few times to defend his business. Now his powerful opponents are trying also to take the TV channel from him, but Korrespondent doesn’t have to prove an obvious fact: Firtash is not a phantom.