Ukrainian businessman Rinat Akhmetov has traditionally ranked first in the list of Ukraine`s top 100 richest people, with assets estimated at $2.3 billion, down $4.6 billion over the last year, according to Forbes Ukraine.
The billionaire`s assets depleted due to a decrease in world prices of iron ore and metal. In addition, almost all his enterprises have large debts before the creditors.
Akhmetov was the best friend and colleague of former autocratic President Viktor Yanukovych
Ihor Kolomoisky ranked second in 2015, as his fortune is estimated at $1.3 billion. Over the past five years, the income of the richest resident of the city of Dnipropetrovsk more than halved. Last year, he left his post as governor of Dnipropetrovsk region and agreed to a change of Ukrnafta`s CEO.
Ihor Kolomoisky and Hennadiy Boholiubov
Hennadiy Boholiubov managed to keep his assets at the previous level of $1.3 billion. Due to the annexation of Crimea and the Donbas war in eastern Ukraine, PrivatBank lost several hundred branches, and dramatically reduced its revenue, to UAH 267 million. Nevertheless, today PrivatBank is among the country`s backbone banks.
The fourth place is occupied by Viktor Pinchuk. His fortune is estimated at $1.2 billion. The last few months were successful for the billionaire: he was able to reach an amicable agreement on two claims with Kolomoisky.
Viktor Pinchuk and his wife (daughter of former President of Ukraine Kuchma)
Yuriy Kosyuk ranked fifth with a fortune of $1 billion. Despite the crisis, Kosyuk continues to invest in business development: he is to invest up to $110 million in Ukrainian projects in 2016. Besides, Kosyuk is launching his own poultry meat production and processing facilities in the Netherlands.
Yuriy Kosyuk and another businessman Boris Lozhkin (Chairman of the Presidential Administration) are old friends of President Poroshenko
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko`s bankroll is estimated at $858 million. Over the last year, it expanded by $100 million. In addition to Roshen Corporation, which Poroshenko transferred in a ”blind trust”; he owns the International Investment Bank and is the beneficiary of Ukroprominvest Agro holding company. He also owns a number of assets in starch production, automotive, shipbuilding and mechanical engineering industries. In addition, he has several national and regional TV and radio companies.
Poroshenko and Mykola Azarov (former PM, who helped Poroshenko to get the position Minister of Economic Development and Trade when the President was Yanukovych)
See also: Ukrainian President`s e-declaration includes over 100 firms, UAH 62 mln in income for 2015
There were several factors that affected the Ukrainian richest people`s finances. Among them is a fall in prices of raw materials, which led to the exhaustion of the financial flows from the sale of metal and ore; as well as a drop in chemical sales; a decrease in engineering industry; shutdowns of plants in the Donbas conflict zone; and the loss of the Russian market.
