in a 13 september 2007 diplomatic cable released between prominent ukrainian business partners serhiy taruta, vitaliy haiduk, and u.s. ambassador william taylor, taruta alleged that akhmetov had in 1997 persuaded ukrainian president leonid kuchma to appoint viktor yanukovych governor of donetsk oblast, who then in turn made haiduk his deputy. in follow up of the released cables, akhmetov's spokesperson refused comment and haiduk denied the conversation taking place.