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Russian Oligarch Oleg Deripaska Accused of Sanctions Evasion, Acquires $36 Million Jet Through Elusive Means

AzureJanuary 6, 2024

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Russian Oligarch Oleg Deripaska Accused of Sanctions Evasion, Acquires $36 Million Jet Through Elusive Means

Report: Russian Oligarch Oleg Deripaska Defies Sanctions, Secures $36 Million Jet through Elusive Means

On January 5, it was revealed by independent Russian media outlet Verstka that the sanctioned Russian oligarch, Oleg Deripaska, faced accusations of skillfully acquiring a $36 million business jet, effectively evading sanctions through undisclosed means. The reported circumvention of the restrictions suggests a sophisticated strategy, possibly involving strategic financial maneuvers or utilizing less scrutinized channels to continue his financial activities despite the imposed sanctions.

Deripaska, a billionaire and former president of the aluminum giant Rusal, faced sanctions from the U.S. in 2018 and the U.K. in 2022, following Russia’s full-scale invasion. In February 2023, Ukraine nationalized Deripaska’s business assets.

The Moscow-based company associated with oleg, Arsenal, allegedly purchased a Falcon 7X jet from Kazakh carrier Irtysh-Air and imported it to Russia in February 2023. Valued at $35.8 million, the plane accommodates 14 passengers.

The jet purchased by Deripaska is a Falcon 7X business jet, issued in 2016, which seats up to 14 passengers.

According to the closed data of Russian customs statistics referred to by the publication, the jet was imported into Russia in February 2023. Under the contract of sale, it was sold to Arsenal.

“This company is registered in the Moscow business centre Victory Park, where Rusal [the second-largest aluminium company in the world, registered in Russia – ed.] is also registered. Since 2018, Arsenal has been owned by 74-year-old Natalia Kalgashkina.

Flight Patterns Corresponding to Oligarch’s Movements

Arsenal, registered in the same Moscow business park as Rusal, is led by 74-year-old Natalia Kalgashkina, a former employee of Rusal and other Russian aluminum trading companies.

The flight patterns of the acquired business jet align with Oleg’s recent movements. Notably, the aircraft landed in Vladivostok on September 11, 2023, coinciding with Deripaska’s participation in the Eastern Economic Forum. Additionally, the jet with the flight number RA-09618 traveled to Beijing from November 27 to December 1, corresponding to the dates of the oligarch’s attendance at a meeting of the Russian-Chinese Friendship Committee.

This revelation echoes Verstka’s previous report on Russian oligarch Alexander Tkachov, who allegedly evaded sanctions to purchase a $60 million airplane through Kyrgyzstan. In a related development, German media disclosed in the summer of 2022 that numerous sanctioned businessmen successfully concealed ownership of private jets through undisclosed offshore companies.

Kazakhstan: Questions Arise Over Alleged Oleg Deripaska Plane Purchase and Sanctions Bypass

**Kazakhstan: Questions Arise Over Alleged Deripaska Plane Purchase and Sanctions Bypass**

Officials in Kazakhstan have vehemently denied allegations made by investigative media outlet Verstka that Russian billionaire Oleg Deripaska utilized a Kazakh airline to sidestep Western sanctions through the purchase of a business jet. Verstka claimed the Dassault Falcon 7X, reportedly bought for around $36 million from Irtysh Air in February 2023, was a strategic move by Deripaska, supported by scrutiny of Russian customs data and an analysis of his movements.

The Kazakh Transportation Ministry promptly dismissed Verstka’s assertions, emphasizing that the Falcon 7X was never registered in Kazakhstan’s civil aircraft registry. Additionally, the ministry clarified that Irtysh Air, the implicated airline, had not held an active civil aircraft operator certificate for nearly a decade and had not operated flights during that period.

Despite the ministry’s response, independent media outlets remain skeptical. Vlast.kz reported a lack of response to inquiries regarding the possibility of the airline purchasing and promptly reselling the aircraft without proper registration in Kazakhstan. The outlet underscored the common practice of evading sanctions by acquiring assets through third-party intermediaries.

In its investigation into Irtysh Air, Vlast.kz uncovered apparent irregularities in tax payments, raising suspicions given the absence of regular flights. In 2022, the company paid around $5,000 in taxes, but in 2023, coinciding with the alleged jet sale, its bills surged to approximately $66,000. Despite this scrutiny, National Economy Minister Alibek Kuantyrov asserted in December that no company in Kazakhstan faced secondary Russia-related sanctions, contrasting with entities in Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan.