Claims of oligarch funding for war dismissed by Kremlin

According to The Bell, billionaire Suleiman Kerimov was to pledge a donation of one hundred billion rubles.

The Kremlin has rejected claims that President Vladimir Putin has urged Russian businessmen to finance the war in Ukraine or shore up state finances. The denial follows reports by The Bell and the Financial Times about a closed-door meeting with leading business figures.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said no such appeal had been made, although he acknowledged that one participant had volunteered a ‘very large sum’ to the state. He described it as an individual initiative that Putin had welcomed.

However, leaked information suggests the meeting may have touched on funding for the military. According to The Bell, billionaire Suleiman Kerimov pledged a donation of 100 billion roubles.

(reuters, pir)