ÐÇ¿Õ´«Ã½

Skip to main content

Entrepreneur Tinkov renounces Russian citizenship over Ukraine war

Share

Serial entrepreneur Oleg Tinkov has renounced his Russian citizenship, saying he does not want to be associated with "fascism" or people who collaborate with "killers."

In an published on Tuesday, the 54-year-old founder of Tinkoff Bank wrote: "I decided to renounce my Russian citizenship after Russia invasion of independent Ukraine. I am against this war, and the killing of peaceful people."

Tinkov, whose upstart digital credit card company, TCS Group Holding, grew to become one of Russia's largest financial institutions, has been an outspoken critic of the invasion and President Vladimir Putin.

He was forced to sell his 35% stake in TCS, Tinkoff Bank's parent, to Russian metals magnate Vladimir Potanin in April, following a string of anti-war comments.

Tinkov said an original Instagram post published on Monday, with a picture of a certificate renouncing his citizenship as of Oct. 26, had "mysteriously disappeared."

Tinkov also said on Tuesday he was suing to force the bank to stop using his name.

"My name should not be associated with fascism," Tinkov said. "I hate when my brand/name is associated with the bank that collaborates with killers and blood."

The bank, for its part, said it had full legal rights to the use of the Tinkoff brand, the TASS news agency reported.

The tycoon, who has likened himself to British billionaire Richard Branson and was worth almost US$10 billion at his peak, launched electronics, frozen food and beer brands before setting up Tinkoff Bank in the mid-2000s.

Before he sold his stake, Britain imposed sanctions on Tinkov, saying he was "receiving benefits from the Russian government" through his stake in a systemically important company.

Tinkov is believed to live in London, where he underwent years of treatment for leukemia. He says he now has no business interests in Russia.

Tinkoff previously held U.S. citizenship, but renounced that around the time Tinkoff Bank went public in 2013 in what Washington said was an attempt to avoid tax liabilities.

Tinkov reached a US$500 million settlement with the U.S. Justice Department last year.

(Reporting by Reuters; Editing by Kevin Liffey)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

CTVNews.ca ÐÇ¿Õ´«Ã½

Three men were injured after trying to subdue a man armed with a knife during afternoon prayers at a Montreal-area mosque Friday afternoon.

Police have arrested an 18-year-old woman who allegedly stole a Porsche and then ran over its owner in an incident that was captured on video.

Since she was a young girl growing up in Vancouver, Ginny Lam says her mom Yat Hei Law made it very clear she favoured her son William, because he was her male heir.

A 15-year-old boy who was the subject of an emergency alert in New Brunswick has been arrested.

The search for a missing six-year-old boy in Shamattawa is continuing Friday as RCMP hope recent tips can help lead to a happy conclusion.

Emergency crews in northern Ontario found the bodies of four people inside a home where a fire broke out Thursday night.

Local Spotlight

Getting a photograph of a rainbow? Common. Getting a photo of a lightning strike? Rare. Getting a photo of both at the same time? Extremely rare, but it happened to a Manitoba photographer this week.

An anonymous business owner paid off the mortgage for a New Brunswick not-for-profit.

They say a dog is a man’s best friend. In the case of Darren Cropper, from Bonfield, Ont., his three-year-old Siberian husky and golden retriever mix named Bear literally saved his life.

A growing group of brides and wedding photographers from across the province say they have been taken for tens of thousands of dollars by a Barrie, Ont. wedding photographer.

Paleontologists from the Royal B.C. Museum have uncovered "a trove of extraordinary fossils" high in the mountains of northern B.C., the museum announced Thursday.

The search for a missing ancient 28-year-old chocolate donkey ended with a tragic discovery Wednesday.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is celebrating an important milestone in the organization's history: 50 years since the first women joined the force.

It's been a whirlwind of joyful events for a northern Ontario couple who just welcomed a baby into their family and won the $70 million Lotto Max jackpot last month.

A Good Samaritan in New Brunswick has replaced a man's stolen bottle cart so he can continue to collect cans and bottles in his Moncton neighbourhood.