Alexey Mordashov, one of the richest Russians, has become an unexpected figure on the European sanctions list.
However, do 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 conflict in Ukraine, but this did not save him from sanctions. But the oligarch managed to divert a number of his companies from the impending threat.
So, Mordashov “scattered” his stake in the German travel company TUI in the amount of $1.4 billion. Mordashov’s company Unifirm Ltd., based in Cyprus, transferred 4% of TUI’s shares to its Russian investment company Severgroup LLC. At the same time, a block of shares in Unifirm, which retains a 30% stake in TUI, was sold to Ondero Ltd., based in the British Virgin Islands.
Transactions with a share of TUI took place on February 28, the day Mordashov was included in the sanctions list. Almost immediately after that, the Italian authorities announced that they had arrested Mordashov’s yacht worth 65 million euros.
No less interesting was what happened with Nordgold. Mordashov transferred his stake in the $1.1 billion gold mining company to his wife Marina Mordashova. It is important that the changes in the ownership of “gold” assets were initiated before the imposition of sanctions against Mordashov. The oligarch’s consultants can only be praised for their foresight.
