Vladimir Potanin, David Yakobashvili, Mikhail Fridman, and Petr Aven
According to the updated list published by Forbes magazine in America on April 1, the number of dollar billionaires among Russian citizens has reached a new record high in the past year. Russia ranks fifth in the world in this regard.
According to Forbes, the number of dollar billionaires in Russia has increased from 120 to 140 within a year, and their total wealth has risen from 537 billion dollars to 580 billion dollars. The Russian version of Forbes noted that in 2025, the number of dollar billionaires in Russia will be 146, with a total wealth of 625.5 billion dollars. These figures have surpassed the record results of 2021.
Russia's position in the list of billionaires worldwide
The current Forbes list includes a total of 3028 individuals. The United States (902), China (516), India (205), and Germany (171) lead in terms of the number of billionaires. Russia ranks fifth, joining the countries that have increased their number of wealthy individuals.
The richest Russians
Among the richest individuals in Russia, the highest position is held by Vagit Alekperov, the founder of "Lukoil." His wealth has reached 28.7 billion dollars. Following him are Alexey Mordashov (28.6 billion dollars) and Leonid Mikhelson (28.4 billion dollars), leaders of "Severstal" and "Novatek," respectively.
Sanctions and the lives of Russian billionaires abroad
According to Forbes Russia, in 2022, the escalation of Western sanctions due to the war in Ukraine led to a sharp decline in the number of Russian billionaires and their total wealth. However, in the last two years, these figures have increased again, reaching record levels.
At the same time, 14 out of the 20 richest citizens of Russia have been subjected to Western sanctions. Many billionaires are living outside of Russia. For example, Andrey Melnichenko is in the UAE, Mikhail Prokhorov is in Switzerland, Petr Aven is in Latvia, and Elena Baturina resides in the United Kingdom.
This situation indicates that the processes in the Russian economy are developing despite international influences. However, sanctions and geopolitical uncertainties are posing new challenges for Russian businesses.
