new tanks. reporter: a joint venture with other ukrainian media bosses, a russian language channel to counter kremlin s anti-western propaganda. from here, firtash is repurposing his business empire, pitting it against putin. translator: our plants that used to produce gas equipment before today have been transformed to produce anti-tank barriers. reporter: he says his gas line repairmen were some of the first back into bucha, scene of so many alleged russian war crimes. translator: we provided our vehicles straight away and all logistical means to deliver humanitarian aid to all over ukraine. are you hoping the government move weapons around the country? we transport whatever they give us. reporter: but putin s war isn t firtash s only war right
Now. he is facing extradition to the u.s. on international racketeering and conspiracy charges involving bribery, an eight-year battle that could be decided soon. only intended to organize this. reporter: but are they right? 100% no. there was no reason for that. because for me to bribe someone, i need to profit from this. i never benefitted from this. reporter: the charges are convoluted, allegations of bribes for indian officials to sell him cut price titanium for u.s. aircraft company. firtash believes his problems with the united states are geopolitical and began more than a decade ago when he was backing ukrainian officials purchase received as pro-putin. now both his fights are fusing into a perfect storm. he s been stuck in austria since his arrest on the u.s. charges in 2014.
translator: i am pretty sure that the whole affair was incorrectly assessed by the u.s. government. for some reason they have concluded that i am pro-russian, and i ve always been pro ukrainian. i was trying to make a deal with the prosecutor s office so they let me go home for the period when the war is going on to defend my country. and they said no? and they said no. so i am forced to spend some of my time defending myself. reporter: reality is firtash knows his eight years fighting extradition here in vienna could soon be coming to an end. he could be in a u.s. court in just a matter of months. are you using the war to launder your image? translator: no, not exactly. what i m seeing now is a situation where everyone needs to come to the aid of ukraine. i ll say it for the 20th time. i am a businessman. this is my job. i find ways to make money. reporter: hero, villain,