Russian billionaire to give up citizenship over Ukraine war
text_fields
Russian Billionaire Oleg Tinkov announced that he is giving up his Russian citizenship in a protest against the ongoing Ukraine war. He also shared a picture of the certificate confirming the same.
He wrote on Instagram that he does not want to be associated with a fascist country. The business tycoon also accused the government of attacking a peaceful neighbour. "I have taken the decision to exit my Russian citizenship. I can't and won't be associated with a fascist country that started a war with their peaceful neighbour and (is) killing innocent people daily."
The banker is hoping that more businessmen will follow his example which has the power to weaken Putin's regime and economy that is funding the invasion of Ukraine. "I hope more prominent Russian businessmen will follow me, so it weakens Putin's regime and his economy, and puts him eventually to defeat. I hate Putin's Russia, but love all Russians who are clearly against this crazy war," he added. Tinkov is not the only tycoon who has criticised the Russian invasion of Ukraine publicly.
Tinkoff is one of the best-known self-made business tycoons in Russia and he founded the online Tinkoff Bank, one of the largest lenders in the country. The establishment has around 20 million customers at the moment. He has been strongly criticising Russia's "special operation" in Ukraine and called it an "insane war." He also asked the West to end the "massacre."
In April 2022, he said Putin's officials threatened to nationalise Tinkoff Bank following which he went into hiding after selling a 35% stake under pressure. He quit the role as CEO in 2020 and the bank has now distanced itself from his comments.
He is currently living in London but is subject to the sanctions imposed by the UK like all other Russian entrepreneurs. Top Russian business figures (oligarchs) are facing travel bans, asset freezes, and impounding of planes and yachts due to Western sanctions in response to Putin's war on Ukraine. In April, he criticised Putin's administration in stronger words and said the regime is based on nepotism and servility. He said the Kremlin bureaucrats are shocked that they and their family members cannot travel to the Mediterranean due to sanctions.