Ukraine is a large State that has been affected by many historical aspects, many of which have not allowed the development that would have been possible. In 1991, when Ukraine began its path of independence again, it faced chaos, high level of unemployment, and banditry. All the enterprises before that belonged to the government because there was no traditional business in the Soviet Union.
Many production, factories, etc., stopped working, so for some individuals, it was possible to buy them at a lower below the market price. The first absolute monopolies appeared with the massive purchase of enterprises in various sectors of economy, and together with them the first oligarchs appeared. Until recently, the power in Ukraine was not only in the hands of an official government.
According to https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/12/08/ukraine-oligarchs-power-war/ there are people who rule the country «behind the scene» because of the influence they have acquired, because the oligarchs have started to develop their own media, cooperate and promote their people in politics to high positions.
Billionaire Rinat Akhmetov has long had the status of the richest person in Ukraine. The businessman did a lot during the presidency of Leonid Kuchma, who worked actively to enable the privatization of state-owned agricultural and industrial properties. Many experts believe that he was in charge of the first big deals, then the first oligarchic system began to appear.
Now Akhmetov is an owner of big steel making companies, a large energy company, one of the most successful football clubs in the country, and even more than that. At the same time, the businessman gave up his media business to comply with the law on oligarchs, because he does not consider himself an oligarch, but he sees himself as a patriot and the largest private investor in Ukraine. The billionaire did not flee when the full-scale Russian invasion of his homeland began. He had the opportunity to go to his chic apartments in London or to a historic villa in France, but he chose to stay at home in Kyiv with his people.
Many criticize him and say that they will be able to recognize his help to the country only if he sells all his real estate abroad. In reply to such statements Akhmetov says that his business has suffered the most in this war and despite this he provided the largest material assistance to the military and peaceful citizens. He provided $100 million in aid and he is not going to stop.
It should be noted that the influence of oligarchs in Ukraine is really unique. For example, Russian oligarchs do not have the same power, because Vladimir Putin’s authoritarian power does not allow this. Since the start of the great war the country’s richest people have not had such influence because of the constant pressure from the government, the incredible losses resulting from occupation or destruction of enterprises, etc. The strong-willed Ukrainian people, who have long wanted changes, is also important.
President Volodymyr Zelensky is actively engaged in anti-oligarchic activities. A law had been introduced to prevent political parties from being sponsored or engaged in privatization. During the war, Viktor Medvedchuk, who cooperated with the Russian authorities and is a close friend of Putin, was caught and arrested, and all his assets were frozen. Ihor Kolomoisky was deprived of citizenship of Ukraine because he had a passport of another country, which is prohibited by law, according to Yahoo.
Rinat Akhmetov was also accused by Zelensky. The president claimed that the billionaire would be engaged to participate in the overthrow of the current government. The businessman himself considers this absurd, as no serious evidence has been provided. Akhmetov does not consider himself an oligarch and says that he has never been one. He says that he is a big investor and provider of the largest number of jobs in Ukraine, as well as the largest taxpayer.
On the eve of the outbreak of a full-scale war, the president called all the most influential people of the country, including Akhmetov, to urge them to support their homeland.