Oleg Tinkov criticizes Putin but is not the only oligarch against the war
Luxurious properties seized, yachts and jets placed in the crosshairs of financial regulators across the West and multi-billion dollar accounts abroad frozen. From the beginning of the Ukrainian invasion by Putin's troops, the so-called oligarchs are enduring tough times. Between them there are those who have remained silent, despite the tightening of sanctions, but also those who have distanced themselves from the actions of the " Tsar " ( but without ever naming him). Businessman Oleg Tinkov, owner of Tinoff Bank,'s comments on social media made particular noise, both in terms of the tone used and for the direct aggression gainst Putin's army (and the president himself). Let's take a closer look at those Russian billionaires who have either condemned the war in Ukraine or called for its halt.
Oleg Tinkov
A self-made man, Oleg Tinkov does not define himself as an oligarch, and believes that the sanctions imposed against him are a mistake. He has long said he is against the war, but the widespread criticism in recent days through his Instagram profile are different from those read so far, as they are aimed specifically at the army (and institutions) and specifically target Putin. The post reads, "I do not see any beneficiaries of this insane war! Innocent people and troops are dying. Russian generals, waking up with a hangover, have realized they have a sh** army. But how can an army be good when everything else in the country is sh**, mired in nepotism and servility? Kremlin officials were shocked to learn that not just them but also their children are unlikely to travel to the Mediterranean this summer. Businessmen are trying to salvage what's left of their properties. Granted, there are idiots who draw Z's, but morons in any given country are 10%. 90% of Russians are against this war! Dear "United West", please give Mr. Putin a way out to save face and stop this massacre. Please be more rational and compassionate." He was born in Siberia in 1967 and is the son of a miner. Tinkov used to live in London, but moved to Forte dei Marmi a few years ago after being first diagnosed with an acute form of leukemia. In a recent interview with La Repubblica, he declared that he often alternates periods at the beach in Italy with moments of relaxation in the mountains, in Switzerland. He is the founder of the financial establishment Tinkoff Bank and according to Forbes his wealth was worth almost 5 billion dollars before the sanctions. Now his wealth is estimated at around 800 million. In under two months Tinkov has lost his billionaire status and the stock of his companies has plummeted by 90%. He was the owner of the World Tour team in which Contador, Sagan and Basso, among others, raced. He created a chain of home appliances and started Tinkoff Brewery, one of the strongest beer companies in Russia. In March 2020 he was arrested in London on charges of tax avoidance, for which he paid a $509 million fine to the United States.
Mikhail Fridman
Ukraine-born Mikhail Fridman is a co-founder of LetterOne, a Luxembourg-based international investment firm, Alfa Group, a Russian multinational conglomerate, and Alfa-Bank, a major Russian private bank. It has net assets of $11.4 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaire's Index. He has been sanctioned by the EU, which said he "managed to cultivate strong ties with Vladimir Putin's administration, and has been listed as one of the top Russian financiers in Putin's inner circle." Immediately after the Russian invasion, Fridman wrote a letter previewed by the Financial Times in which he stated that he wanted "the bloodshed to end," explaining, "My parents are Ukrainian citizens and live in Lviv, my favorite city. But I have also spent most of my life as a Russian citizen, growing and building businesses. I am strongly connected to the Ukrainian and Russian peoples and see the current conflict as a tragedy for both." In the words of the entrepreneur, "This crisis will cost lives and damage two nations that have been close sisters for hundreds of years. While a solution seems frighteningly far away, I can only join those who strongly wish for the bloodshed to end." Friedman has never directly criticized Putin, but has stressed that "war can never be the answer." Following the entry into force of sanctions against him, he let it be known that he lives on 2,500 pounds a month.
Oleg Deripaska
"Peace is very important! Talks must begin as soon as possible!". Aluminium magnate Oleg Deripaska, who is considered a close ally of Putin, wrote this on Telegram as soon as the war broke out with the subsequent collapse of the ruble. Sanctions against him were triggered last March 10, when the United Kingdom noted that his wealth was estimated at $2.8 billion. The Oligarch has stakes in the energy company En+ Group and is owner of the industrial group Basic Element. He is one of the founders of the holding company RusAl, one of Russia's largest aluminum producers. Deripaska was previously the subject of sanctions in 2018, by the U.S., in response to Russian influence in the 2016 election. The U.S. has also been investigating him for money laundering and accused of "threatening the lives of business rivals, illegally wiretapping a government official and engaging in extortion," CNN reports, quoting the U.S. Treasury Department. His $60 million super yacht, which has been in the focus of Western authorities, was recently pinpointed in the Maldives.
Alexei Mordashov
Son of two steelworkers, Alexei Mordashov is the principal shareholder and chairman of Severstal, a Russian mining conglomerate with interests in metal, energy and mining. Severstal controls shares in Severstal Export Gmbh in Manno, a firm that exports steel products. Mordashov is the co-owner of Rossiya Bank and was a stockholder in TUI Group, where he resigned due to sanctions. He is the richest man in Russia with $29.1 billion, according to Forbes. He is considered among Putin's closest advisors. In early March, he spoke of the war as a "tragedy of two historically fraternal peoples," declaring, "We must do everything to get out of this conflict quickly and stop the bloodshed." The billionaire was sanctioned because, according to the West, he would have benefited "from his ties with Russian leaders." Italian authorities seized a 105 million euro estate in Sardinia from him, as well as a 65-meter yacht.
Evgeny Lebedev
Evgeny Lebedev is the owner of the holding that controls the British newspaper Evening Standard, the Independent and the TV channel London Live. He is the son of the tycoon Alexander Lebedev, a former oligarch and former member of the KGB. On February 28, Evgeny took a stance against the war from the pages of the Evening Standard, in an open letter to the Russian president, which read, "President Putin, as Europe is on the brink of another world war and the world is on the brink of a possible nuclear disaster, I implore you to use today's negotiations to end this terrible conflict in Ukraine. I speak as someone with deep personal ties to both my country of birth and the country where I grew up and now call home. On this page (there is a link in the article to the headline about a small war victim, ed.) are the final minutes of a six-year-old girl fatally wounded by the shots that struck her Mariupol apartment complex on Sunday. She's still wearing her pink jacket as doctors struggle to save her. But it's too late. More children and other families are suffering similar fates across Ukraine. As a citizen of Russia, I beg you to stop the Russians from killing their Ukrainian brothers and sisters. As a British citizen, I beg you to save Europe from war. As a Russian patriot, I beg you to stop further young Russian soldiers from dying needlessly. As a world citizen I ask you to save the world from obliteration. Today's negotiations on the Ukrainian-Belarusian border provide a moment of hope. You can stop this conflict. Please seize the moment and end this war today."
Roman Abramovich
Arguably the most well-known figure in the West, Abramovich is the former owner of Chelsea, a Premier League team that the tycoon put up for sale due to sanctions. While Abramovich has publicly expressed dismay over the war, he has never openly criticized Russia or Putin. He has stated that the net proceeds from the sale of the English club would be used to create a charitable foundation "to benefit all the victims of the war in Ukraine." The EU sanctioned him because of his "long and close ties with Vladimir Putin"; the Russian president allegedly helped him "maintain his considerable wealth." The ex-London Blues leader participated in a gathering of peace talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegations, and as a result of that occasion reportedly suffered symptoms attributable to poisoning. Before the sanctions, Abramovich, according to Forbes magazine, had a wealth of around 11 billion euros and was among the 150 richest people on the planet.
