Published: Just now
Ukraine’s richest man, Rinat Achmetov, has agreed to hand over his entire media group to the Ukrainian government. The decision has been made due to a new law that aims to reduce the influence of the oligarchs in the country.
“This week, Media Group Ukraine will hand over all Ukrainian licenses for both television channels and print media for the benefit of the state,” Achmetov said in a statement.
He says the decision is driven by a new law introduced to “prevent threats to national security in connection with excessive influence” of oligarchs. The law was adopted in September 2021.
The law’s time limit and the Russian invasion of Ukraine make it impossible to sell the media on the market, according to Achmetov. Media Group Ukraine consists of print media, websites and ten television channels.
According to Forbes, Rinat Achmetov is considered to be Ukraine’s richest person, with a fortune equivalent to SEK 43 billion.
His net worth has declined significantly during the war in Ukraine, as he owns factories that have been occupied or destroyed around the country. Among other things, he owns the Azovstal steelworks in Mariupol.