You're reading: Ukrainian business tycoon Akhmetov tells protesters he is patriot of Ukraine and Donbas

Ukrainian business tycoon Rinat Akhmetov came out to the participants of the rally near the Botanical Garden in Donetsk, where his home is located.

About a dozen activists of the Democratic Alliance held a rally outside Akhmetov’s residence on Tuesday, an Interfax-Ukraine correspondent reported.

The activists brought to Akhmetov’s residence “a bloody New Year’s tree.” According to them, the tree symbolizes the funding by the businessman of Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych’s “bloody regime” and his personal involvement in the crackdown of a pro-European rally in Kyiv.

Akhmetov came to the protesters in his own car and said that he was ready for the dialogue with the public. He also noted that he was a patriot of Ukraine and Donetsk region in particular.

“I live in Donetsk, and the biggest punishment for me would be the inability to walk on this ground and breathe this air,” the businessman said.

After that Akhmetov left the site of the rally.