To remove sanctions: Russian oligarchs Friedman and Aven sell their shares in Alfa-Bank

The buyer can be an ancient business partner of billionaires Andriy Koshov, whom international sanctions bypassed. It is noted that Andrei Koshov has agreed to buy a Russian bank for $ 2. 3 billion from his Cypriot parent company. It is interesting that before the full -scale war between the Russian Federation and Ukraine the book value of the bank was $ 10. 6 billion, that is, the new owner will reach a discount.

"They want to do their best to get rid of their Russian assets and get rid of sanctions," said Financial Times one of the interlocutors. Thus, if the agreement is approved by the regulatory authorities, Friedman and Aven will cease to be indirect shareholders of Alfa-Bank. However, billionaires do not have any indications that the sale of Alfa-Bank will convince the European Union to abolish sanctions.

Another source of the publication believes that the paper looks great on the paper, because neither the Cyprus company nor Andrei Koshov himself under sanctions. "Friedman and Aven are avoiding sanctions, Koshov receives a bank, and the bank remains a single Russian shareholder," the interlocutor says. Financial Times writes that the agreement can be completed in the spring of 2023, if approved by the regulatory authorities, including the Russian Central Bank and the tax authorities.

The consent of the US and EU sanctions may still be needed. Mikhail Friedman is a Russian businessman. The co-owner and chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Alfa Group Consortium. One of the richest entrepreneurs of the Russian Federation and residents of the UK. In February - April 2022 he was under personal sanctions of the EU and other countries.

In September, the media wrote that Friedman suggested to transfer a billion dollars of his personal wealth into the Ukrainian branch of Alfa-Bank, whose co-founder she is. According to people familiar with this issue, this proposal was aimed at convincing the United Kingdom.

The co-owner of the Alfa-Group consortium, Petro Aven, came under the sanctions of the European Union on February 28, 2022 due to the invasion of the Russian Federation into Ukraine among other Russian officials and businessmen. On March 1, he decided to leave the Board of Directors of Alfa-Bank. And on March 15, the United Kingdom imposed sanctions against Aven. In May, the UK authorities initiated a criminal case under an article on violation of sanctions on Peter Aven.