Mikhail Fridman, one of the first Russian billionaires to speak out against the invasion of Ukraine remains silent on Vladimir Putin. The oligarch heads the company LetterOne and founded Alfa Bank, Russia’s largest private bank. He is considered the 11th richest man in the UK.
With our correspondent in London, Marie Boeda
Mikhail Fridman condemns the war but not Vladimir Putin. At a press conference in London on Tuesday, he refused to comment on the master of the Kremlin because he defends himself, he has responsibilities towards his Russian and Ukrainian employees.
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” It’s a very sensitive issue. We have dozens of partners, I have no right to endanger them. So I don’t believe at all that war can be a solution to this conflict. I think the war should be stopped as soon as possible “, he simply said.
The billionaire was born in Lviv, in western Ukraine where his parents still live. He now divides his time between Russia and England.
A close friend of Vladimir Putin
He is considered close to Vladimir Putin. It is for this reason that it was sanctioned by the European Union. Sanctions that include the freezing of certain assets and the travel ban. A decision that the oligarch considers unfair even if for the moment, the United States and the United Kingdom have refrained from imitating.
Mikhail Fridman assures that he has no influence on the Russian president and according to him, the sanctions currently in place will have no impact on the political decisions of the Kremlin.