- 8
- 07.08.2023 09:36:00
- 3 min read
Billionaire Alisher Usmanov, in an interview with the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, expressed hope for an early end to the conflict in Ukraine and expressed sympathy for all its victims, while stressing that he "stays away from politics." In addition, Usmanov commented on the sanctions against him: he claimed "huge" reputational damage and complained about the seizure of property in Italy, saying that "friends do not behave like that."
Billionaire Alisher Usmanov said that the sanctions caused him "huge" reputational damage, and they affect not only himself, but also his family members, companies in which he is a shareholder, employees of these companies and "tens of thousands of people" who received assistance through his charitable foundations and other projects.
"When people start being labeled because of money or a passport in their pocket, we know from history what disasters happen. If collective responsibility is applied, justice is dead," Usmanov said.
According to him, the seizure of his property in Sardinia by Italy hurt him.
"Friends don't behave like that. But I understand that politics is politics," the billionaire said.
He expressed hope that "the law will prevail over political interests." On the assumption of the journalist that the taxes of Russian business allow Vladimir Putin to "finance himself," Usmanov suggested that Europe impose sanctions against Western companies that operate in Russia.
"What should those who own companies in Russia do – evade taxes? Besides, I don't see these measures stopping the fighting," the billionaire said.
When asked whether the decision of the Russian leadership to launch a military special operation in Ukraine was correct, Usmanov said that he "stays away from politics" and prefers areas in which people can be united rather than separated: sports, business and charity.
"I sympathize with all the victims of the fighting in Ukraine, I hope that this tragic conflict will end soon and diplomacy will finally play its role. We need to restore the mutual trust that was lost so quickly. To everyone without exception: including Europeans," Usmanov said.
The entrepreneur refused to recognize himself as an oligarch in an interview: he stressed that he did not participate in privatization, did not receive "dubious assistance from the state" and worked "at market prices, in conditions of transparency." According to him, the idea in Europe that businessmen in Russia "march compactly at the behest of the Kremlin" is a distortion of the real situation.
Usmanov was sanctioned by the European Union, the United Kingdom, the United States and a number of other countries. The entrepreneur challenged the EU sanctions in court. After being sanctioned, Usmanov suspended the powers of the president of the International Fencing Federation. The Financial Times wrote in November 2022 that Uzbekistan is lobbying the EU to lift sanctions against billionaire Alisher Usmanov and his sister Gulbakhor Ismailova.
Alisher Usmanov is ranked 122nd in the ranking of the richest businessmen in the world (8th place among Russians) right now, follows from the Forbes Real-Time rating, which is updated in real time depending on quotes. Usmanov's fortune is estimated at $14.4 billion.
