By Emegwoako C. Paschal
Oleg Tinkov, a billionaire banker and entrepreneur, announced on Monday that he had renounced his Russian citizenship due to the conflict in Ukraine, which he had previously criticized.
“I have decided to renounce my Russian citizenship.” “I cannot and will not be associated with a fascist country that has started a war with their peaceful neighbor and is killing innocent people on a daily basis,” Tinkov said.
“I hope more prominent Russian businessmen will follow me,” he wrote on Instagram, “so that (President Vladimir) Putin’s regime and economy are weakened, and he is eventually defeated.”
He posted a photo of a certificate that confirmed the “end” of his Russian citizenship.
“I despise Putin’s Russia, but I adore all Russians who are clearly opposed to this insane war!” Tinkov stated.
The billionaire is a well-known self-made tycoon in Russia, having founded the online Tinkoff Bank.
The bank is one of Russia’s largest lenders, trailing only the state-owned Sberbank and VTB. Tinkoff currently has around 20 million customers.
Tinkov had harshly criticized Russia’s offensive in Ukraine, calling it a “insane war” and urging the West to put an end to the “massacre.”
British sanctions were also imposed on him shortly after the conflict began in late February.
He was previously arrested in London in 2020 on charges of US tax evasion. He was later released on bail and treated in London for leukemia.
He stepped down as CEO of Tinkoff in 2020, and the bank has distanced itself from his anti-offensive remarks.
