Oligarch Akhmetov
© UnknownRinat Akhmetov of the Donetsk clan whose fortune is estimated at $11.6 billion (Wikipedia)
Akhmetov urged the central government to stop its anti-terrorist operation in Donbas, a May 11 statement on Akhmetov-owned Metinvest group website runs.

"We are calling to stop the use of heavy weapons and large-scale combat activities in Donbas cities. We believe Ukraine military must withdraw from Donbas cities," it runs.

The potential of peaceful talks has not been fully tapped, it says

"The government can and must hear the voice of Donbas residents. Further military operations will destroy our trust in the regime,the statement runs.

MetInvest proposes to admit the past mistakes made in Mariupol and other Donbas cities, urgently take compromise political decisions to defuse the tensions.

To keep law and order, Metinvest proposes to create brigades of vigilantes from among Metinvest staff jointly with the municipal police.

As of May 12, these brigades will patrol the cities and protect peaceful residents from marauders and criminals, the statement runs.

In Mariupol, marauding is on a very high scale, with shops and businesses looted by armed criminal gangs.