Russian businessman Oleg Tinkov, hard hit by Western sanctions, says he is opposed to the war in Ukraine and calls on the West to find a way out of the conflict. “Give Putin a chance to save face and stop this massacre,” the wealthy former banker wrote in a post on Instagram.
Tinkov, founder of a Moscow bank that still bears his name, says Ukraine is in a “crazy war” and that the Russians have a “cunt army.” The generals themselves would have recognized that, he says. ‘How could it be otherwise in a country full of rivalry, muckraking and fleeing behaviour’, the billionaire grumbles.
In Russia, there is little support for Putin and his so-called ‘military operation’, says the oligarch. Ninety percent of Russians are against this war, Tinkov writes. “Ten percent of the country is made up of idiots. You have that in every country.’
He added that Kremlin officials are “appalled” that they and their children would no longer be able to spend their summer vacation in the Mediterranean. “Businessmen are trying to save what’s left of their property.” What Tinkov means by that is not clear from the message.
‘Be more humane’
Tinkov is one of Russia’s best-known entrepreneurs and founded Tinkoff Bank in 2006. In recent years he has been based outside of Russia. He calls on world leaders to find a way out as quickly as possible. “Please be more rational and humane. Innocent people and soldiers die.’
Tinkoff Bank reports according to The Guardian in a statement that it will not comment on Tinkov’s private views and that he no longer has anything to say about the company. “He’s not a Tinkoff employee.”
‘Economic Blitzkrieg’
Russia has been the target of heavy economic sanctions by Western countries following the attack on Ukraine that began on February 24. Russia is a major supplier of natural gas, oil and other important raw materials. According to Putin, the Western economy is deteriorating rapidly and that is partly the result of the sanctions that Western countries have announced.
It is a West’s own goal, Putin said, who also called it an “economic blitzkrieg.” According to observers who The Financial Times quotes, Russia is now facing one of its worst economic crises since the early 1990s, when the Soviet Union had just fallen apart and there was economic chaos. Russia would see its gross domestic product shrink by at least 11 percent this year.
Meaning oligarch
The word oligarchy comes from ancient Greek and is a contraction of ‘few’ and ‘rule’ (see also: monarchy). The term oligarch is used for businessmen from the former Soviet Union who gained a lot of political power and wealth during the period when the country transitioned from communism to capitalism and then fell apart. In a broad sense, one speaks of billionaires with political influence.
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