Updated
Updated · Bloomberg · Sep 26
Russian Tycoons Study 2 EU Sanctions Exemptions as Few See Quick Route Out
Updated
Updated · Bloomberg · Sep 26

Russian Tycoons Study 2 EU Sanctions Exemptions as Few See Quick Route Out

3 articles · Updated · Bloomberg · Sep 26

Summary

  • Russian billionaires are dissecting the EU exemptions granted to Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman, looking for clues to loosen their own restrictions.
  • Few expect those cases to offer an immediate template, with tycoons and advisers saying the two reprieves appear tied to specific circumstances rather than a broader policy shift.
  • Years of frozen assets and legal fights across multiple sanctions regimes have left many of Russia’s richest businessmen seeing little chance of a quick end to their pariah status.

Insights

Will other sanctioned Russian tycoons start weaponizing massive lawsuits against individual EU states to force their own political escape routes?
How did a €15 billion lawsuit and secret hostage diplomacy help two Russian oligarchs shatter the EU's unified sanctions wall?
Did the EU sacrifice its moral high ground by freeing two billionaires just to secure a three-year sanctions extension against Russia?