'Everything Putin touched perished': the oligarch renounced Russian citizenship

Russian-born oligarch and former oil tycoon Leonid Nevzlin, who fled to Israel almost two decades ago after being persecuted by Vladimir Putin's government, announced on March 8 that he was renouncing his citizenship because of Russia's attack on Ukraine. FOXNews.

Photo: Shutterstock

In a lengthy Facebook post, Leonid Nevzlin said that if he received a second citizenship, it would be an honor for him to be part of Ukraine.

“Russian citizenship has already become a stigma that I no longer want to bear,” he wrote. — I cannot afford to be a citizen of a country that kills the children of other countries and tortures its own children who do not agree with this. I do not want to be an accomplice of the criminal regime and an accomplice in a crime against humanity, even if just having the status of a citizen of this state, which has already compromised itself forever as a follower of the fascist regime».

He added that everything that Putin "touched" died.

He noted that his cultural roots, the Russian language, will remain the most important part of its self-identification.

Nevzlin founded the Yukos oil company after the fall of the Soviet Union with businessman Mikhail Khodorkovsky. He fled to Israel in 2003 after Putin targeted big companies and top executives.

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«All these years, like many others, I made compromises while keeping this passport for myself. I was one of the first to be hit by Putin. He threw my friends into prison and killed some of them. He stole a business, deprived of a house in Moscow», he wrote.

Khodorkovsky was arrested in 2003 on charges of money laundering and tax evasion that many in the West called trumped up. Nevzlin was convicted in absentia in 2008 of conspiracy to murder.

According to Haaretz, the Russian government has asked Israel to extradite him, but Israel has so far refused to do so. The White House has aimed sanctions at several other Russian oligarchs who support Putin.

In an interview with Bloomberg, Khodorkovsky said that Russia has moved from an authoritarian regime to a totalitarian one. According to him, he expects regime change.

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“The regime will change, there is no doubt about it. Previously, this could take 10 or 20 years, but now it happens much faster. Ukraine found him (Putin - Ed.) Achilles heel, says Khodorkovsky. “He played the kind of alpha male who never loses. Now he is clearly experiencing military defeat.”

As ForumDaily wrote earlier:

• On the night of February 24 began full-scale war of Russia against Ukraine.
• In the light of these events in Russia and around the world, protests against the invasion of Ukraine
• US and UK imposed broad economic sanctions against Russia due to the invasion of Ukraine.
• February 25 President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to sit down at the negotiating table. Putin's press secretary Dmitry Peskov said that Putin is ready to send a delegation to Minsk (Belarus) for negotiations with Kiev. He specified that the delegation will include representatives of the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the presidential administration.
• In the USA there were large-scale rallies in support of Ukraine.
• Pope Francis visits the Russian Embassy February 25, to personally "express his concerns about the war" in Ukraine, which made an unprecedented deviation from diplomatic protocol.
• European Union, USA and UK imposed sanctions and froze the assets of Putin and Lavrov.
• The United States declared its readiness to start accept refugees from Ukraine.
• February 26, the world famous and one of the most popular groups of hackers Anonymous recorded a video message to Russian President Vladimir Putin. They promised to find all "skeletons in the closet" and "leave no stone unturned".
• As it became known, the Oscar-winning Hollywood actor Sean Penn is located in Ukraine and is making a documentary for Vice about events in the country.
• February 28 The world's largest aircraft An-225 was destroyed during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, it caused alarm and sadness among the aviation world, in which it occupies an almost cult status.
• On the same day, the United States and France called on their citizens immediately consider leaving Russia.
• From the very beginning of the invasion, many actions took place around the world in support of Ukraine. How it was in the USA, see our material.
• On March 1, the United States asked 12 Russian diplomats from the United Nations leave the US accusing them of "espionage activities" as Russia continues its advance into Ukraine.
• March 2 Russian businessman Alex Konanykhin offered a $1 million reward for dead or alive Putin.
• Airbus and Boeing refused to work with Russia, which endangers almost the entire civil aviation of the country.
• March 3 CEO and founder of the Russian TV channel "Rain" announced the suspension of the channel. This is due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
• Which of the Hollywood stars supported Ukraine, and who was on the side of Russia, read here.
• What Russians living in Ukraine say about the war, you can find out in our material.
• Which companies left Russia and how it hit the economy, read on link.
• Where citizens of Ukraine can receive special services in Poland - by link.
• The US State Department has warned citizens of Ukraine that the US Mission in Ukraine does not currently offer visa services. That's it services provided in Germany.
• Meanwhile, the killers tried to kill the President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky at least three times since Russia invaded his country on February 24.
• In Russia, the situation with free media is becoming more and more difficult. Even relatives of Ukrainians from Russia do not believe in shelling of Ukraine.
• Russian diplomats announced persona non grata, left the US, and the Russian airlines stop international flights.
• Meanwhile at the International Court of Justice in The Hague consideration of the lawsuit of Ukraine against Russia began. The subject of the lawsuit is allegations of genocide.
• Russia began active preparations for shutdown from the global internet.
• Thousands of Ukrainians leave the country: 11-year-old boy from Zaporozhye made it to the border with Slovakia and crossed it on foot.
• U.S. backs Ukraine – both government officials and ordinary Americans: 20 workers in West Coast ports refuse tohandle Russian cargo. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky was awarded a medal Liberty Ronald Reagan.
• Tesla will continue to pay salaries to employees who decide to go to fight in Ukraine.
• In the meantime, the sanctions are taking effect: Russia is rapidly rising in price or disappearing from the sale of drugs and medical equipment manufactured by countries that have imposed sanctions on the Russian Federation because of the war in Ukraine. Down on the country iron curtain.
• Russia cannot establish a dialogue with the world - she threatens to leave from the Council of Europe and the OSCE.

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