Russian billionaires lose $80 billion in wealth

BySophie Tremblay

Russian billionaire and businessman Alisher Usmanov arrives to the openings of new monument to former Russian Prime Minister Yegeny Primakov at Smolenskaya Square inin Central Moscow, Russia, October,29,2019. Politician and diplomat Yegeny Primakov died in 2015.
Mikhail Svetlov | Getty Images

Russia’s top billionaires have lost over $80 billion in wealth in recent weeks, with more to come as sanctions and seizures start to bite.

The economic turmoil surrounding President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine has erased about a third of the wealth of Russia’s 20 richest billionaires in recent weeks, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. The impact of sanctions on oligarchs, along with the collapse of the Russian ruble and economy and global outrage over Ukraine, have swiftly brought the end of an era for an entire class of Russian elites around the world.

Rosneft CEO and Chairman of the Management Board Igor Sechin is seen during a meeting with Russia’s President Putin in the presidential residence in Novo-Ogaryovo.
Mikhail Klimentyev | TASS | Getty Images

Two megayachts have already been seized over the past day — Alisher Usmanov’s 500-foot “Dilbar” and Igor Sechin’s 280-foot “Amore Velo.” UK ministers are calling for the seizure of Russian properties in the U.K. and a new global task force has been created to hunt down and seize assets of Russian’s under sanction.

The financial impacts may just be beginning, according to Russian experts. Usmanov, who was sanctioned by the EU Monday and could be on an upcoming U.S. list, according to reports, has seen his wealth only fall by $1.7 billion, to $19.5 billion, according to Bloomberg. Russia’s richest man on the list, Vladamir Potanin, who has not been sanctioned, has seen a loss of less than a quarter of his wealth, down to $25 billion.

Gennady Timchenko, a member of the Board of Directors at Novatek and Sibur Holding, attends a session following ceremonies to sign agreements between the Government of the Russian Republic of Tatarstan and Sibur Holding, and TAIF and Sibur Holding.
Yegor Aleyev | TASS | Getty Images

Yet many others have seen their fortunes cut in half. The biggest loser in dollar terms is Gennady Timchenko, who controls Volga Group and saw his fortune fall from $22 billion to $11 billion. Leonid Mikhelson, the CEO of Russian gas company Novatek, lost $10.5 billion, leaving him with $22 billion.

Other big losers include Alexei Mordashov, the Russian mining magnate, who was sanctioned by the EU and saw his fortune drop by $5.6 billion to$22 billion. According to Forbes, at least 12 Russians have fallen off the billionaire’s list in recent weeks.

Alexey Mordashov, billionaire and chairman of Severstal PAO, pauses during a panel session on day three of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forumin St. Petersburg, Russia, on Friday, June 4, 2021.
Andrey Rudakov | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Sophie Tremblay
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This article was originally published by Cnbc.com. Read the original article here.

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