The former master of Donbass suffered a ricochet from the internal squabbles between the "DPR" and the "LPR"
Rinat Akhmetov
Today, correspondence between the DPR Ministry of State Security and separatist "prosecutor's office" officials surfaced online, revealing all the behind-the-scenes details of life in the occupied territories. Based on the materials contained in these documents, one can conclude that Rinat Akhmetov is actively involved in the management and economic activities of the DPR. Of course, this information is unlikely to prompt any investigation by Ukrainian law enforcement, as the documents are simply not recognized as terrorists. But Akhmetov himself, who in this case most likely accidentally found himself in the crossfire between competing terrorist groups, should prepare for further reputational damage.
It was previously known that Ukraine's wealthiest man maintained ties with his native land even during the most intense periods of war. However, judging by documents from the "DPR" Ministry of State Security, he not only ensured the safety of his business in the occupied territories but also actively participated in the establishment of "power" in the "DPR." For example, according to published information, in October 2014, Akhmetov, along with another former Verkhovna Rada deputy, Yuriy Ivanyushchenko, visited Donetsk, where he met with the self-proclaimed "Prime Minister of the DPR," Alexander Zakharchenko. Allegedly, during this meeting, they discussed the appointment of Akhmetov's people to key positions in the "DPR," granting Donbas full autonomy within Ukraine, and transferring the entire regional coal industry to the control of the Yenakiyevo organized crime group, headed by the aforementioned Ivanyushchenko.
It was already known that Ukraine's wealthiest man maintained ties with his native land even during the most intense periods of war. But judging by documents from the "DPR" Ministry of State Security, he not only ensured the safety of his business in the occupied territories but also took an active part in establishing "power" in the "DPR."
However, even this information can hardly be called sensational, given the fact that the former self-proclaimed "DPR Governor" Pavel Gubarev stated a year and a half ago that half of the separatist leadership, including Zakharchenko, were on Akhmetov's payroll. Therefore, we should be interested in another question: why did compromising information about the owner of SCM become public? There are two possible theories that provide a probable answer. First, Akhmetov could have become an accidental victim of the ongoing silent internecine war between the separatist clans of the "DPR" and "LPR." The latest manifestation of this was the recent statement by representatives of the "Don Army" that the "DPR" leader is gradually becoming an oligarch. Specifically, according to the Cossacks, Zakharchenko has already opened 10 trading houses named after his wife, and he lives practically in a castle – a large country house that previously belonged to a local businessman.
According to the second theory, Rinat Akhmetov's involvement in this story involving the correspondence between the "DPR" MGB and the "prosecutor's office" was a ricochet from another internecine feud—between Kremlin clans competing for control of financial flows to the Donbas separatists. This rivalry, in fact, has already buried the infamous "Novorossiya" project and could now pose serious problems for Akhmetov's team. In any case, the Security Service of Ukraine should inquire whether the owner of SCM actually traveled to Donetsk, how many times, and for what purpose. And most importantly, let him reveal whether he met with Zakharchenko. And even if Rinat Leonidovich manages to concoct a beautiful tale on this topic, the security services should monitor those aspects of the former oligarch's activities that relate to the occupied territories.
But, as experience shows, Ukrainian law enforcement is unlikely to have any questions for the former ruler of Donbas. After all, former head of the SBU, Valeriy Nalyvaichenko, has already stated that he has no complaints against Akhmetov, and the silence of the current leadership of the security services only confirms the SBU's unwavering stance toward Rinat Leonidovich and his interests in the "DPR."
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