‘Army of m…’: Why did the Russian businessman shoot Putin and curse the war?

Recently, a post containing offensive words targeting Russian President Vladimir Putin has resonated on social media. The author was 54-year-old former billionaire Oleg Tinkov, who was expelled from Russia a few years ago. He criticized the attack on Ukraine and urged the West to help end a “nonsense war” that “doesn’t do any good”.

“When the generals woke up with a hangover they realized they had a shitty army,” he wrote. “How can the Army be any good if everything else in the country is a big shit on nepotism and slavery?”

“Please be more rational and humane,” he called, and said, “Give Mr. Putin a way out so he can save his face and stop this carnage.”

It was one of the harshest criticisms of the war ever made by a Russian businessman.

According to him, Kremlin officials are “in a state of shock” that they can no longer go on vacation to the Mediterranean with their children due to Western sanctions against Russia over the conflict in Ukraine.

Who is it?

Tinkov founded Tinkoff Bank in 2006. He left the chairmanship of the board in 2020, but still owns 35% of the shares.

In 2014, he took 15th place in the list of the richest people in Russia, with a fortune estimated at $ 8.2 billion. But the war was instrumental in knocking him off the list of billionaires.

This year, his net worth has been revalued by $0.8 billion as a result of the sanctions imposed by Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. He was blocked in England, who accused him of receiving Russian aid or support.

Concerned about the repercussions and ramifications of the conversation, the Russian digital bank has made it clear that it will no longer comment on the “personal opinion” of the king, who has no longer made a decision on the operations of companies under Tinkoff. brand.

“He is not a Tinkoff employee, he has not been in Russia for a long time and has been dealing with health problems in recent years,” the statement said.

Besides the bank, it also invests in home appliances, breweries, restaurants and frozen food factories. He is also known for road cycling, an activity he has been involved in since he was young. He won several competitions and amassed titles in the sport.

The businessman is married to Estonian Rina Vosman and they have three children. In 2017, Tinkov renounced his American citizenship.

Its assets include various assets such as airplanes, hotels, luxury chalets, yachts, ships.

Tinkov also said that “businessmen are trying to salvage what is left of their property”, referring to the sanctions imposed on Russian businessmen.

European countries have imposed sanctions on hundreds of Russian individuals and organizations and seized luxury yachts belonging to Kremlin-linked oligarchs such as Spain, Italy, France and Germany.

Half of Russia’s 20 richest men have already been penalized by the US, UK and European Union for the Putin government’s invasion of Ukraine. The oligarchs, who prospered and gained many political powers after the collapse of the Soviet Union, now hold key positions in state-owned companies and companies with ties to the Russian leader.

A Bloomberg study indicates that two dozen Russian billionaires had at least $200 billion before the war started. Now, some have their assets frozen and they are prohibited from traveling. (with international organizations)