Alexey Mordashov, one of the richest Russians, became an unexpected figure on the European sanctions list. However, we should not forget that he was once a co-owner of Rossiya Bank, as well as the founder of the National Media Group. Mordashov managed to speak out against the war in Ukraine, but this did not save him from sanctions. But the oligarch managed to avert a number of his companies from the impending threat.
Thus, Mordashov “scattered” his share in the German travel company TUI in the amount of $1.4 billion. Mordashov’s Cyprus-based Unifirm Ltd. transferred a 4% stake in TUI to his Russian investment company Severgroup LLC. At the same time, Unifirm’s shareholding, which retains a 30% stake in TUI, was sold to Ondero Ltd., based in the British Virgin Islands.
Transactions with TUI shares took place on February 28, the day Mordashov was included in the sanctions list. Almost immediately after this, Italian authorities announced that they had seized Mordashov’s yacht worth 65 million euros.
What happened with Nordgold is no less interesting. Mordashov transferred his stake in a gold mining company worth $1.1 billion to his wife Marina Mordashova. It is important that changes in the ownership of “gold” assets began before the introduction of sanctions against Mordashov. The oligarch’s consultants can only be praised for their foresight.
“ВЧК ОГПУ”
