Alexei Ananyev, a Russian entrepreneur and former owner of Technoserv, was arrested in absentia in September 2019 and put on the international wanted list. They were accused of participating in the theft of money from the PSB bank. As of September 2021, Trust Bank claims against the Ananyev totaled 586 million euros. The Ananiev brothers and their wives’ assets were seized worldwide. In September 2020, a criminal case was initiated against Ananyev, heads of several Pension Fund departments, and employees of Technoserv and RedSys owned by the ex-banker. With a personal fortune of $1.7 billion, Ananyev ranked 61st in the list of the 200 richest businessmen in Russia in 2013.
UK has Sanctioned over Russia’s Ukraine Incursion
The UK government has imposed sanctions on five Russian banks and three “very high net worth” individuals in an effort to deter President Vladimir Putin from initiating a “full-scale invasion” of Ukraine following his decision to recognize the independence of two rebel areas.
Tuesday saw the announcement of additional sanctions by the US and EU, as well as Germany’s decision to halt the approval of Russia’s Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline. This move is thought to be the most successful of the measures revealed.
While Boris Johnson indicated that the UK’s sanctions were “the first barrage” of action and that more would come if Mr. Putin continued, critics called the measures “tepid” and claimed they did not go far enough.
Russian Individuals named on U.S ‘Oligarch list ‘
The U.S. Treasury Department has identified 210 heads of Russian state-owned companies and “oligarchs” as close to President Vladimir Putin, as part of a sanctions package signed into law in August last year. The list does not include Russian state officials, making it a total of 210 names.
Three Men and five bank involved in Sanctioned Over Russian’s Ukraine Incursion
Gennady Timchenko –
Russia’s sixth richest man, Sergey Timchenko, has a net worth of £17.6 billion, Timchenko is a major shareholder in Bank Rossiya, a key stakeholder in the National Media Group supporting Russian policy in Ukraine. He was sanctioned by the US in 2014 and is close to Putin.
Boris Rotenberg –
Russian billionaire Mr. Rotenberg co-owns SMP Bank with his brother Arkady, who is already sanctioned by the UK. The UK government claims SMP is a Russian government-affiliated entity and Mr. Rotenberg has close personal ties to Vladimir Putin. With a £890 million fortune, he has evaded US sanctions due to Finnish citizenship.
Igor Rotenberg –
Igor, son of Arkady, has close familial ties to the Russian president and has been on the US sanctions list since 2018, with a net worth of £810 million.
Involved Banks :
Promsvyazbank –
Promsvyazbank, founded by Dmitry and Alexei Ananyev, was seized by Russian authorities in 2017 and accused of fraud. The prosecution was deemed politically motivated. The bank now services 70% of state contracts signed by Russia’s defence ministry and is a “pivotal bank” for the country’s military-industrial complex. In the early 2010s, it briefly considered listing on the London Stock Exchange.
Bank Rossiya –
Rossiya Bank, a top 20 bank in Russia, has been blacklisted for years and placed on US sanctions lists after the annexation of Crimea in 2014. The bank has been the personal bank for senior Russian officials, including Putin’s inner circle. The UK government claims that it has supported the integration of Crimea into Russia and offers support to military activities and the formation of major transport links and cards for easy travel around the peninsula. The bank has become the first big bank to open branches in Crimea.
IS Bank –
The UK government claims that the bank’s business development is linked to the annexation of Crimea, and it was designated by the US Office of Foreign Assets Control in 2017 for operating in Crimea.
Black sea bank for Development and Reconstruction –
The Black Sea Bank, added to the US sanctions list in 2017, operates in Crimea and has consolidated Crimea into the Russian Federation through its financial system. Its biggest markets are Russia and Turkey, with significant business in Ukraine, Romania, Bulgaria, and Greece. The bank was created after the illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014.
General Bank –
General Bank, along with IS Bank and Black Sea Bank, was sanctioned by the US years ago for its involvement in Crimea. The UK has sanctioned Genbank, the largest of three small banks, and the 92nd largest in Russia, citing data from Banki.ru. The US’s commitment to opposing Russia’s occupation and attempted annexation of Crimea underscores this.
About Alexei Ananyev :
Beginning his professional life with his brother, fellow billionaire Dmitry Ananyev, Alexei Ananyev imported computers into Russia. Their business, Technoserv, is the largest systems integration company in Russia. Alexei is in charge of general strategy and the IT division. Promsvyazbank, which the two also founded, was the official sponsor of the Moscow Marathon in 2016. The brothers also own business park Pressa, a former printing house; Arbat Center, an office complex in central Moscow; and Novospassky Dvor, a 21.5-acre business district along the Moscow River. In 2011, Alexei established a museum to showcase his extensive collection of Socialist realist artwork, which is the largest in Russia. The two brothers have strong religious beliefs.
