Five Ukrainian citizens among 50 wealthiest (10/31/04)

Five Ukrainian citizens among 50 wealthiest

KYIV - The Polish weekly magazine Wprost named five Ukrainian citizens among its top 50 richest persons of Central and Eastern Europe, reported the Interfax news agency.

According to the Ukrainian service of the Radio Liberty, Rynat Akhmetov ranks first among the Ukrainians and sixth among the richest persons of the region on the annual list published in late September. Wprost experts say the last year was especially successful for Mr. Akhmetov, as he has doubled his capital to $3.5 billion.

Dnipropetrovsk businessman, Viktor Pinchuk a national deputy and Leonid Kuchma's son-in-law ranks 10th. His capital has increased to $2.5 billion in the last year, Wprost writes.

Ihor Kolomoiskii, the major stockholder of Privat Group, ranks 12th. His capital has increased to $2.2 billion despite strong competition between Privat Group and the Industrial Union of the Donbas, Polish experts say.

Serhey Taruta, the co-owner of the Industrial Union of Donbas, ranks 15th. According to Wprost, the group controlled by Mr. Taruta has increased its assets to $1.2 billion, and Mr. Taruta himself owns capital of $1.9 billion.

Oleksander Yaroslavskyi ranks 27th with $850 million capital among the richest people of the Central-Eastern Europe.

As Radio Liberty reported, the main difference between the new top 50 and the last year's in regard to the Ukrainians on the list is that Viktor Medvedchuk, the head of the presidential administration is not on the new list. According to Radio Liberty, the reason is that not that he has become poorer but that his business rivals have become richer in the last year. This explains also the high positions of the Ukrainians in the top 50.

Of other nationalities, Russians are the most numerous group with 29 individuals listed. There are also five Romanians, four Poles, three Serbians, two Czechs and two Bulgarians. The top 50 wealthiest persons of the region own total capital of $86.5 billion, according to Wprost. This sum is $13 billion larger than the last year.

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