"The complete crisis of my life": Russian oligarch told how he was affected by US sanctions

The businessman notes that “many have met with Putin,” and believes that the decision to impose sanctions against him is connected with something else. Over the year since the imposition of sanctions, he lost almost $ 3 billion.

Photo: video frame YouTube / TV Channel Rain

The head of the Renova Board of Directors, Viktor Vekselberg, said in an interview with the Financial Times that he could not predict his falling under sanctions from the United States, writes RBC.

“People say: you have so much business in Russia, you are famous in Russia, you are not under European sanctions. Why are you so worried? But for me this is a total crisis in my life. This is not about money, not about business. This is my personal situation <...> For me, the whole world was full of opportunities. Now what can I do? ”The businessman said.

Vekselberg also doubted that he was put on the sanctions list because of contacts with President Vladimir Putin: “Of course, I met with Mr. Putin. But many met with him, and met more often, there are also those who have more questions for discussion with him. Many people tell me that [behind the decision of the United States to impose sanctions] there is something else. ”

On the subject: 'From Hell': What US sanctions imposed against Russia over the past six years

Speaking about the history of the inauguration of Donald Trump, the businessman said that he was interested to look at the new US president.

“When Trump won the election, I thought, OK, here’s a new man, he is buzzing around, it’s interesting. If only I understood how acute the internal political situation [in the USA] is, ”he said.

However, Wilbur Ross, the future US Secretary of Commerce, refused the businessman tickets for the ceremony, Vekselberg told (foreigners are forbidden to buy them), so his cousin Andrew Intrater paid for the tickets after receiving them through Michael Cohen, then lawyer Donald Trump. This Vekselberg explained in an interview his meeting with him - a week before the inauguration.

“Cohen asked for a meeting because he wanted to know who his guest was,” explains Vekselberg.

On the subject: Newspaper articles and Google Maps requests: what was the basis for the decision to impose sanctions on Deripaska?

According to the businessman, he had an official invitation, the meeting was held in Cohen's office, the conversation lasted 15 minutes. The parties did not discuss business in Russia, he said.

In its latest ranking of the richest businessmen in Russia, Forbes put Vekselberg on the 11 line, assessing his fortune at $ 11,5 billion. During the reporting period, his fortune decreased by $ 2,9 billion.

Vekselberg and Renova came under US sanctions on 6 on April 2018. together with Oleg Deripaska and other businessmenwhich in Washington was considered close to the Kremlin. After that, the businessman reduced the shares in some foreign assets.

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