Unlike a half dozen Ukrainian officials whose houses have been picketed in the recent days by pro-European protesters, Rinat Akhmetov, the nation's richest billionaire, wasn’t afraid to show up and talk to the activists -- if only briefly.
On Dec. 31, Akhmetov drove his Mercedes to a group of people heading to his house in Donetsk located near the local botanical garden. Without security, he came out of the car — dressed casually in a striped sports outfit and black coat — and told the people that he was ready for dialogue, Novosti Donbassa newspaper reported on its website.
Earlier, one of organizers of rally, Yevheniy Semehin, claimed that Akhmetov was hiding from people in London, where the oligarch has a multimillion-dollar posh apartment, one of the city’s most expensive pieces of residential real estate. On Dec. 19, some 50 people picketed Akhmetov’s residence there.
Speaking to protesters in Donetsk, Akhmetov said he came to congratulate them with the New Year, but also confronted them and accused them of lies. “You said I am hiding in London, but I’m here,” he said.
The
protesters, who brought Akhmetov the “bloody Christmas tree” decorated with
photos of activists recently beaten by police, were startled by Akhmetov’s
emergence. The normally reclusive tycoon was in a combative and talkative mood.
“All say
sanctions, sanctions, sanctions. For me the biggest sanction would be the inability
to walk on my homeland, Donetsk land, breath this air,” added the oligarch, who
could be subject to Western sanctions over his close links to President Viktor Yanukovych. Already, Akhmetov has had trouble getting a visa to visit the United States, where he owns businesses.
“If you
want Ukraine to be strong – I’m with you, independent – I’m with you, united –
I’m with you,” he said. “Come with truth, and I’ll be always with you, if you are coming with lies, I’ll not be with you.”
When Akhmetov starting going back to his car, the activists asked what he thought of EuroMaidan,the mass demonstrations that began in Kyiv and other cities on Nov. 21 in protest of Yanukovych’s backing away of a trade agreement with the European Union. Akhmetov walked back to the protesters and said: “If you don’t like something, go to the elections and vote for this or that candidate for this or that party.”
“We know
how you are doing elections!” one of protesters shouted, alluding to election fraud.
“Young man,
compete with me by the mind, not by the voice,” Akhmetov answered and headed back to
his car. Although people were asking him more questions, Akhmetov
drove away.
The activists continued their rally near the oligarch’s residence. The picket lasted some 40 minutes, said Novosti Donbassa chief editor Oleksiy Matsuka, who was filming the event.
Later in the day people also planned to rally near the house in Donetsk where Liudmila Yanukovych, wife of the president, lives.
The Donetsk-based activists were luckier than their Kyiv counterparts so far, whose rallies to the country’s rich and powerful have been mostly ignored.
In recent weeks, Kyiv protesters marched and drove to houses of Yanukovych, Prime Minister Mykola Azarov, Prosecutor General Viktor Pshonka, Interior Minister Vitaly Zakharchenko and secretary of National Security and Defense Council Andriy Kliuyev, trying to draw their attention to demands of EuroMaidan, which include their resignations and early presidential and parliamentary elections.
On Dec. 29, the protesters smashed part of the gate surrounding the Kyiv house of Viktor Medvedchuk, a pro-Kremlin multimillionaire businessman who led a campaign against Ukraine signing the association agreement with the EU. Medvedchuk reacted with furious comments on his Facebook page “They (the opposition leaders) want to wage war? I also know how (to fight),” he wrote.
