Ukrainian Steel Magnate, Putin and Yanukovych Ally, Manafort Client

“As the mafia godfather of Eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk Clan, Akhmetov is one of the wealthiest men in Ukraine and closely allied with Putin. Akhmetov recruited Manafort to revamp Yanukovych’s image, and help prepare him for a second presidential run in 2010.” WhoWhatWhy

Who did Manafort and Gates work for in Ukraine and Russia? Washington Post “Former Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych gestures as he answers journalists questions during his news conference for foreign media in Moscow on Feb. 21, 2017. By Max Bearak October 30, 2017

“In 2005, Manafort was hired by Rinat Akhmetov, a Ukrainian steel magnate who wanted to burnish his international image.

Akhmetov’s company was based in a heavily industrialized, mostly Russian-speaking part of eastern Ukraine. He was one of a large group of Ukrainian oligarchs with close ties to Viktor Yanukovych, the leader of the Russia-friendly Party of Regions. Manafort was hired by the political party soon thereafter.”