‘A fascist country’: Billionaire Oleg Tinkov renounces Russian citizenship over Putin’s ‘crazy war’

‘I can’t and won’t be associated with a fascist country’

A Russian billionaire has renounced his Russian citizenship because of Vladimir Putin's nine-month long war in Ukraine.

Oleg Tinkov said he did not want to be associated with “fascism” or people who collaborate with “killers” in an Instagram post.

“I can’t and won’t be associated with a fascist country that started a war with their peaceful neighbour and killing innocent people daily,” Mr Tinkov said.

The post was later deleted.

Mr Tinkov added it was a "shame" for him to continue to hold the Russian passport. He also holds Cypriot citizenship.

He said he wanted other notable Russians to follow his lead.

"I hope more prominent Russian businessmen will follow me, so it weakens Putin’s regime and his economy, and put him eventually to defeat," said the 54-year-old.

Mr Tinkov shared an image of a certificate confirming the “ending” of his Russian citizenship, according to an independent Russian news source Sota Vision. The billionaire banker added: "I hate Putin’s Russia, but love all Russians, who are clearly against this crazy war".

The founder of global online Tinkoff Bank is the latest business tycoon to sever ties with the Kremlin and denounce Russia’s citizenship in the wake of Mr Putin’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, which began on 24 February.

Nikolay Storonsky, the co-founder of the financial start-up Revolut, renounced his Russian citizenship recently over the “totally abhorrent” war.

In October, billionaire tech investor Yuri Milner announced that he and his family had “completed the process of renouncing our Russian citizenship”. He left Russia in 2014.

Earlier in April, Mr Tinkov tore into the Russian president for his "crazy war".

In an Instagram post, he said that 90 per cent of Russians were against the war in Ukraine and added "morons in any country are 10 per cent".

"I don’t see a SINGLE beneficiary of this insane war! Innocent people and soldiers are dying," he added.

"Waking up with a hangover, the generals realised that they have a s*** army.

"And how will the army be good, if everything else in the country is shitty and mired in nepotism, sycophancy and servility?"

He continued: "Kremlin officials are shocked that neither they or their children will be off to the Mediterranean in the summer. Businessmen are trying to save the rest of their property.”