Owner of Shakhtar eyes our steelworks - Rinat Akhmetov interested in buying Smederevo-based steel mill

(Rinat Akhmetov)

The Ukrainian "steel king" Rinat Akhmetov, owner of several steel mills in Europe and Ukraine, is interested in buying Smedereveo-based steelworks.

Akhmetov, one of the richest people in Europe, is also famous as the owner of the Ukrainian football club Shakhtar Donetsk.

Blic daily writes that Akhmetov's closest associate was staying in Belgrade on Monday and talked with the Serbian government about the takeover of the steelworks in Smederevo, which was purchased from U.S. Steel by the government for USD 1.

A man familiar with Akhmetov's operations in Ukraine claims that his company is the most significant steel producer in the European Union and a serious trader in electricity.

- His biggest competitors are German steel mills and U.S. Steel in Serbia. That is why he is so interested - Blic cites its source as saying.

Akhmetov meets all conditions set by Serbia and listed by President Boris Tadic. His companies produce all types of ores, including iron and coke. His revenues in 2010 amounted to USD 9.4 billion.

The same source says that Akhmetov is seen in Ukraine as a man who constantly introduces new technologies in the production and whose workers receive their salaries on a regular basis.