Russian Oligarch Worth $13 Billion Now Can’t Pay His Cleaner Because Of Western Sanctions

A Russian oligarch has had a massive whinge because he now has to clean his own home.

Mikhail Fridman said he doesn't 'know how to live' after his wealth was stripped by Western sanctions.

The Russian businessman currently lives in the UK and has a net worth of £7.7billion ($AUD 13.7 billion).

While shells rain down on the people in Ukraine, Fridman has told Bloomberg of his suffering after copping sanctions from the European Union on February 28 and the UK on March 15.

Russian Oligarch Mikhail Fridman, who has a net worth of $10.1 billion said he doesn't know how to live after being hit by sanctions. Oh, stop Mikhail, you're breaking our hearts, but corruption does that to you, Comrade. 💔🤣🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/MfolTL05cR

— Al Steel (@KnightofResist) March 17, 2022

"We sincerely believed we are such good friends of the Western world that we couldn't be punished," he said.

The 57-year-old banking magnate co-founded London investment firm LetterOne and is a former board member of Russia's Alfa-Bank.

He has previously complained about the EU sanctions, calling them 'groundless and unfair'.

But in his interview with Bloomberg, he explained how he never thought this would happen to him as he believed his relationship with the West was strong enough to dodge such sanctions.

Mikhail Fridman of Alfa Group, a Russian oiligarch: "I can't afford cleaning because if sanctions”. he can still withdraw 2.500 pounds a month - more than an average Brit salary after taxes

— Alexander Etkind (@Sasha_Etkind) March 17, 2022

"I don't know how to live," he said. "I may have to clean the house myself."

Fridman did at least concede that cleaning his own home was 'normal' behaviour.

"When I was a student, I lived in a small room in a dormitory with four men. But after 35 years, it’s unexpected," the banking magnate said.

The oligarch claims he currently has an allowance of £2,500 (AUD$4456) per month. He also has to apply for a special license to spend money.

Russian oligarch Mikhail Fridman feels "captive" due to the blocking of his card and accounts

The founder of Alfa-Bank said that his bank card and accounts were blocked, so he cannot even pay for cleaning now, much less to find a new home in order to leave London. pic.twitter.com/bvB7ZpfvLE

— Flinsy (@FlinsyArg) March 17, 2022

Bloomberg reports that the banking oligarch's wealth has dropped significantly after the Ukrainian invasion began, plummeting by £3.4 billion (AUD$6 billion).

He hit out at the sanctions, claiming he doesn't have power over Putin or the Kremlin's decisions.

"I’ve never been in any state company or state position," he said.

"If the people who are in charge in the EU believe that because of sanctions, I could approach Mr Putin and tell him to stop the war, and it will work, then I’m afraid we’re all in big trouble.

Mikhail Fridman argues that punishing Russian billionaires like him shows a troubling misunderstanding of power in Moscow: They do not have any influence with Vladimir Putin when it comes to the war in Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/6JSE9lIt9Q

— Miss Jay (@Jer1dah) March 17, 2022

"That means those who are making this decision understand nothing about how Russia works."

Although the banking billionaire has complained about his problems, he did admit his issues are 'nothing compared with their [the Ukrainians'] problems'.

Fridman has previously commented on the the war in Ukraine as a tragedy, but refrained from expanding citing the sensitivities of commenting on politics in Russia.

"For me that's a huge tragedy what is going on," he said. "The war should be stopped."

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