Ukraine's richest man says he's suing Putin for damages

Ukraine’s wealthiest man is planning on suing Moscow for upwards of $20 billion in losses he claims were caused by Russia’s bombardment of the steel plants in the devastated port city of Mariupol.

In an interview with Ukrainian news outlet mrpl.city, Rinat Akhmetov – the owner of Ukraine’s biggest steelmaker Metinvest – said many of his operations suffered heavy damage from Russian bombing and shelling after Ukrainian forces made his Azovstal plant the last bastion of defense before surrendering just days ago, Reuters reported.

"We will definitely sue Russia and demand proper compensation for all losses and lost business," Akhmetov said.

Later, when asked how much money his company lost to Russian bombs, he reported that damages to Azovstal and Illich plants alone will cost upwards of $20 billion to repair.

"The replacement cost ... due to Russian aggression is from $17 to $20 billion. The final amount will be determined in a lawsuit against Russia,” he said.

Since Russian President Vladimir Putin first launched his illegal invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, Metinvest has announced that it can no longer uphold its supply contracts. Although Akhmetov's financial and industrial SCM Group has been servicing its debt obligations, his private power producer DTEK has been forced to restructure its debt portfolio.

Akhmetov has remained in Ukraine since Russian forces first invaded and has said that he has no plans to leave. "We believe in our country and believe in our victory,” he added.