Since the beginning of the Ukrainian crisis, there has been a lot of speculation in the media about the role that Russian oligarchs have played in supporting Russian President Vladimir Putin’s actions.
Some people have suggested that they are bankrolling the entire operation, while others claim that they are simply using their influence to get what they want. But what do these billionaires want? And are they really against Russia’s war?
Are Russian Oligarchs Against War?
Russian oligarchs are speaking out against the potential for war in their homeland. In an open letter to Vladimir Putin, the billionaires urged the president to avoid military conflict with Ukraine. They cited the potential for economic disaster and said that Russia could become a “pariah state.”
Every Russian oligarch who has spoken out against the war that the Russian leader has started, which started on February 24, is listed in full below.
Oleg Deripaska
Oleg Deripaska, a supporter of Vladimir Putin and the creator of the aluminum giant Rusal, was subject to penalties by the UK government on March 10.
Due to Russian meddling in the 2016 election, the United States already sanctioned him in 2018.
Days after Putin invaded neighboring Ukraine, Deripaska posted the following on the Telegram messaging service on February 27: “Keeping the peace is crucial. There must be an immediate start to the negotiations.
Mikhail Fridman
Mikhail Fridman, one of the wealthiest people in Russia, is the head of the conglomerate Alfa Group, which is one of the country’s biggest private lenders. The European Union recently imposed penalties on the 58-year-old, referring to him as a “top Russian financier and enabler of Putin’s inner circle.”
According to Fridman, the invasion of Ukraine “should be stopped as soon as possible” and has been dubbed a “tragedy.” He stated that he wanted the “bloodshed to stop” in a letter to workers written shortly after Putin’s invasion started.
“My favorite city, Lviv, is home to my parents, who were born and raised in Ukraine. But I have also invested a significant portion of my life as a Russian citizen in creating and expanding businesses. Because of my strong ties to the Russian and Ukrainian peoples, I believe that the current conflict is tragic for both of them “Fridman composed.
Roman Abramovich
Roman Abramovich, a Russian businessman, announced the sale of Chelsea Football Club on March 3 as pressure to punish him for his ties to Putin increased. He has denied having links to the Kremlin’s financial system.
Abramovich has been observed participating in talks for peace between Russia and Ukraine. Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, reportedly asked U.S. President Joe Biden not to punish Abramovich on March 23 because he “might prove important as a go-between with Russia in helping to negotiate peace,” according to the Wall Street Journal.
Oleg Tinkov
Russian Tinkoff Bank was formed in 2006 by billionaire Oleg Tinkov, who is arguably the most vocal opponent of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. The 54-year-old, who was raised in Leninsk-Kuznetsky, Siberia, is presently undergoing cancer treatment. He has denied having a close connection to Putin and the Kremlin.
“I don’t see anyone winning from this insane conflict! Soldiers and civilians alike are perishing “Tinkov, a target of western sanctions, posted on Instagram frequently. How can the army be effective if the rest of the nation is corrupt and engaged in servile [nepotism] behavior?
He called Putin’s invasion “unthinkable and unacceptable” and demanded that funds be used for cancer treatment rather than war because “We are against this war!”
Alexei Mordashov
One of Russia’s wealthiest men is the steel magnate Alexei Mordashov. The 54-year-old is Severstal’s chairman and largest shareholder. Severstal is a Russian conglomerate.
Days after the crisis started, he urged Putin to put an end to the “bloodshed” and referred to it as a “tragedy of two fraternal peoples.”
“It is sad that Russians and Ukrainians are dying, that people are going through hardships, and that the economy is crumbling,” he said, according to the news source RBK. We must take all necessary steps to find a resolution to this issue as soon as possible and put an end to the carnage.
“The genesis of the present geopolitical crisis is in no way related to me. I don’t know why sanctions have been placed on us “he added.
Vladimir Lisin
The chairman and principal stakeholder of Novolipetsk Steel, one of Russia’s biggest steel producers, is the Russian oligarch.
Lisin said in a letter to the staff that the deaths brought on by Putin’s war in Ukraine were a tragedy that was difficult to justify and expressed the hope of the board of directors and the company that the fight would soon come to an end.
To start, Lisin wrote, “I would want to offer my heartfelt sympathy to all the victims of the armed war in Ukraine, the families and relatives of those who died.”
“The loss of life is always an unjustifiable tragedy. I firmly believe that using force is never better than diplomatically resolving a dispute through peaceful means.”
Whom Has The Uk Sanctioned Among The Russian Oligarchs?
The government reports that Eugene Tenenbaum and David Davidovich have received sanctions from the UK today.
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