2023-07-31 21:00:00
This is stated in the investigation of the publication “Projekt”, published on July 31.
The Project’s conclusions are based on an analysis of state contracts concluded between Russian defense factories and enterprises owned by oligarchs. Investigators indicate that in 2017, the Russian Defense Ministry began to massively declassify its contracts, so most of the contracts they found relate to the period 2014-2018. This may create an incomplete picture, but according to the journalists, “the real number of businessmen working for the war and the money they received for it may be significantly greater than in our database.”
According to the publication, the total amount of only open contracts of representatives of large Russian business with the Ministry of Defense for the entire time of the conflict with Ukraine – from 2014 to 2023 is at least 220 billion rubles (at the current rate of 2.5 billion dollars).
Only 14 oligarchs came under complete restrictions
Journalists, among others, are named in the investigation Aleksei Mordashov (“Severstal”), Vladimir Patanin (Nornickel), Vagit Alekperava (“Lukoil”), Mikhail Friedman (LetterOne), Roman Abramovich (Millhouse), Gennady Timchenko (“Novotek”), Alisher Usmanov (USM), Yuriy Kovalchuk (Bank “Russia”), Arkady Rotenberg (“Mostotrest”) and others.
80 of these oligarchs, the Project notes, are currently under sanctions. However, only Ukrainian sanctions are in effect against 34 businessmen, and only 14 oligarchs have come under restrictions in all countries that are allies of Kyiv. Only one oligarch, the investigators emphasize, spoke out against the Kremlin’s policy after the start of the full-scale military invasion – the founder of Tinkoff Bank. Oleg Tinkov.
Businessmen deny the accusations
A number of businessmen who were included in the “Project” list responded to the journalists’ accusations. Vladimir Lisin stated that his Navalipet Metallurgical Plant (NLMK) has never supplied and is not supplying products for military use in Russia. “We understand that our arguments will not be heard again, but considering that we make 3.6 billion construction screws, you are growing to “war mosquitoes”, – he wrote in response to journalists.
Mikhail Fridman’s representatives indicated that he stated back in March 2022 that “war can never be a solution, and the bloodshed, which will cost both nations many lives, must be stopped.” The management of Friedman’s companies still holds this position.
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