Russian billionaires have increased their wealth by $22 billion
Since the start of the year, Russia's wealthiest entrepreneurs have increased their combined net worth by $21.85 billion.
These updated figures were released by Bloomberg in its traditional “Billionaires Index” ranking.
In total, the list of the 500 wealthiest people on the planet currently includes 20 citizens of the Russian Federation.
Andrey Melnichenko, co-founder of EuroChem and SUEK, demonstrated the highest growth in wealth among Russians.
His net worth has grown by $5.63 billion since the beginning of the year—the businessman’s total wealth is now estimated at $24.6 billion.
Other key players in the Russian market who control raw material extraction and heavy industry have also significantly improved their financial performance.
In particular, Leonid Mikhelson, head of the gas company Novatek, increased his net worth by $4.15 billion, reaching $27.8 billion.
Alexey Mordashov, founder of the steel giant Severstal, earned an additional $3.66 billion, bringing his total assets to $29.9 billion.
In addition to them, Vladimir Potanin, owner of Norilsk Nickel, retains his traditional place among the leaders of the Russian segment of the list.
Russian business is currently in a state of controlled collapse
After three years of unexpected economic growth, Russia is facing a sudden slowdown—war costs, inflation, and falling oil prices have begun to weigh on an economy that until recently seemed resilient to sanctions.
Consumer lending in Russia has fallen to a six-year low.
