NEW YORK, March 9 ??“ Falling steel prices and a re-privatization action from the government have lowered the wealth of Ukraine??™s richest man, Rinat Akhmetov, by almost 30% over the past 12 months, according to Forbes magazine.

Akhmetov, 39, whose biggest assets are in steel and mining sectors, is now worth $1.7 bln, down from $2.4 bln a year ago, Forbes reported Thursday in an annual survey of the world??™s billionaires.