Artists, billionaires and athletes are leaving Russia. They are renouncing citizenship and fleeing from the regime.
The war in Ukraine not only caused massive geopolitical shocks, but also divided Russian society. While some billionaires and artists remain loyal to President Vladimir Putin, others are leaving their homeland to distance themselves from the regime and avoid Western sanctions. Since February 24, 2022, ten billionaires have already renounced their Russian citizenship. The reason is not just political disagreements, but also concerns about their own safety.
Dancer with Putin's portrait on his chest
Dancer Sergei Polunin left Russia with his family, where he moved in 2018 after gaining citizenship and Putin's support. On social media, he stated that his "soul is not in its place" as his reason, but did not specify where he is going. He was born in the Ukrainian city of Kherson and is one of the most prominent figures in ballet. After studying in Kiev, he moved to Britain at the age of 13, where his talent made him the youngest soloist of the Royal Ballet. However, he later left the ensemble, which the media attributed to his tumultuous lifestyle. He had very pro-Russian stances, even going as far as to tattoo Putin's portrait on his chest. Due to these circumstances, some of his European performances were cancelled. In 2022, he openly supported the Russian invasion of Ukraine. But recently, he has been complaining about unsolicited packages and concerns about safety, but it is unclear whether his departure is related to this.
More artists on the move
Opera singer Anastasia Voločkovová has also joined the departure from the artistic world from Russia. She stated that Russia has become unbearable for her. Popular rapper Morgenshtern, who was accused of selling drugs, also decided to leave the country. For example, chess player Sergey Karjakin, who previously represented Russia, but distanced himself from the Kremlin after the war, decided to leave from the sports environment. Tennis player Daria Kasatkina publicly condemned the regime of Vladimir Putin and since then has been living outside Russia.
Technology visionaries: Ratmir Timashev and Andrei Baronov
Even billionaires decided to leave the country. The latest to do so are the founders of the technology company Veeam, Ratmir Timashev and Andrei Baronov. Their company, specializing in data backup, is presented as a Swiss company. In 2015, the company opened a research center in Prague for almost five hundred employees. Timashev left for the USA already thirty years ago and Baronov settled in Switzerland. They expressed an objection to Russian aggression immediately after the invasion of Ukraine and together founded an association to support the victims of the conflict.
Vasily Anisimov: Putin's friend who chose to leave
Vasily Anisimov, a long-time friend of Putin and former president of the Russian Judo Federation, was another personality who left Russia. His connection to the Russian president was evident even through his business activities. He co-produced Putinka vodka, from which Putin was supposed to have profited billions of crowns. Although he never commented on Russian politics, Anisimov used his Croatian and Dominican citizenships to leave the country. To this day, no one knows what led him to this, but it is clear that even friendship with Putin is not always a guarantee of safety.
Leonid Nevzlin: Oil magnate in lifelong exile
Leonid Nevzlin, who fled to Israel in 2003 to escape Russian investigation, is one of the most openly anti-Russian individuals. After the invasion, he labelled Russia as a "fascist state" and the war in Ukraine as genocide. He has lived abroad for more than twenty years and his fate shows that not only political but also business conflicts in Russia can be lethal.
Yuri Milner: The richest Russian in Silicon Valley
Yuri Milner, the investor behind the creation of the tech giant VK, renounced his citizenship in October 2022. He left the country with his family already in 2014. Together with his wife, they donated over two billion crowns to help Ukrainian refugees in April 2022.
Nikolay Storonsky: The Revolut founder among the main critics of the war
Revolut founder Nikolay Storonsky also took a stand against the war. Collaborating with the Ukrainian Vlad Yatsenko put him in a difficult situation. He did not want to jeopardize his Russian employees, so he expressed himself cautiously about the conflict. According to him, the war is not a solution and is completely bad and disgusting.
Sources: author's text, iRozhlas.cz, themoscowtimes.com, lidovky.cz, medium.com, themoscowtimes.com, visaguide.com, the article was partially created using ChatGPT
