Complicit in Putin's aggression: Russian oligarchs are responsible for the war in Ukraine
(Point of View)
Detention in London and subsequent release on bail of Russian oligarch Mikhail Fridman, who is accused of involvement in money laundering, once again reminded of the powerful people whose capitals became the foundation for the formation of the current Russian regime.
Russian President Vladimir Putin (center) shakes hands with Mykhailo Fridman, chairman of the board of directors of the TNK-BP oil company. The Kremlin, Moscow, April 22, 2005
In the first months after the war, it was said that if Russian oligarchs were influenced, they would be able to influence the Kremlin and force VladimirPutin strong> stop the war. These were naive expectations. Russian oligarchs did not simply lose political influence. They themselves refused it.
This, in fact, was the significance of Putin's “reforms” at the beginning of the millennium. When the Russian president spoke about the “equal distance” of the oligarchs, who had a great influence on politics before he came to power, he meant the refusal to interfere in exchange for big money. Those who did not agree were actually deprived of most of their property. Volodymyr Husynsky and Boris Berezovsky were forced to leave. Mykhailo Khodorkovsky ended up in prison for many years, and then he was also forced to leave Russia.
The case of Friedman shows that each of the oligarchs can become the object of attention of Western law enforcement agencies
But now it seems obvious that Husinsky, Berezovsky and Khodorkovsky were right, not Friedman, Abramovich or Potanin. Rejection of influence led to significant reputational losses for each Russian oligarch. Many found themselves under sanctions and practically lost the prospect of becoming a decent Western businessman.
The then Prime Minister of Russia Dmitry Medvedev (right) and the chairman of the supervisory board of directors of the consortium «Alfa Group» Mykhailo Friedman. Moscow, December 4, 2013
And the case of Mikhail Fridman shows that each of the oligarchs can at any moment become the object of close attention of Western law enforcement agencies organs.
