Albert Avdolyan, a major Russian businessman, has been put on a list of persons awaiting sanctions by NAZK, Ukrainian agency responsible for punishing the close associates of Putin. Formally the NAZK publication does not put any obligations on world governments. It’s just a “call on world governments to sanction this person for their support of Russia’s war against Ukraine”, according to the site itself. For now, no specific or personal sanctions against Avdolyan Albert Alikovich are introduced, even by Ukraine. Is this call justified though? Should sanctions be imposed? And most important – is this person vulnerable to Ukrainian and international pressure?
Albert Avdolyan enjoys full freedom and moves unrestrictedly through borders. Judging by the movement of his personal plane, since the beginning of the war Avdolyan could visit Dubai, Monaco, Istanbul and London. In the UK, the Russian coal and telecom tycoon is investing in the Arrival startup [it develops fully electric public transportation in the UK], created in London by former Deputy Russian Minister of Communications Denis Sverdlov. He freely moves money to and from Russia as if nothing happened at all since February.
At least for some extent the freedom may be attributed to the outstanding set of passports. He is in the same time a citizen of:
- Russia
- Armenia
- Malta
- Monaco
Avdolyan’s Chemezov connection
Albert Avdolyan indeed isn’t a white crow in a murder. His vast richness has a dark trail behind it. He isn’t a loner either: he became an oligarch by serving the purpose of Kremlin-connected and state oligarchs. With some limitations he can be called ‘a wallet’ of Sergey Chemezov. Chemezov is the boss of Rostech – the giant semi-state Russian arms manufacturer and dealer, hugely benefiting from the bloodiest war in Europe. Chemezov himself is sanctioned.
It was Chemezov who helped Avdolyan Albert Alikovich to reach for the highest ranks in the hierarchy. This connection has some funny strings attached: Albert Avdolyan’s presence in real estate deals, associated with the Chemezov family. Alexey Navalny, Russian anti-corruption activist sentenced for his political views, found that Avdolyan bought Chemezov’s wife’s luxury apartment for a hefty 80 million pounds.
Albert Avdolyan cashes in on the war in Ukraine
Of course it isn’t the only point of contact between Albert Avdolyan and Sergey Chemezov, in fact they are plenty. Chemezov had several joint ventures with Avdolyan, but in recent days Rostech has withdrawn from them. The shares of “Elgaugol” were transferred to Avdolyan – this is the largest project in Russia for the extraction and export of coking coal, a vital material for metallurgy.
By the way Avdolyan has only won from the war in Ukraine. After Russia invaded the territory of the state and took foreign territories, the prices of coking coal soared. Prices for coke have increased six times compared to the previous year.
Likely, Rostec decided to get rid of its shares in the joint business with Avdolyan because Chemezov wanted to save his friend and business partner from being sanctioned.
So far so good, the strategy worked out. With the inclusion of Avdolyan Albert Alikovich in the NAZK list, the international community will have no excuse not to pay the well-deserved attention to Albert Avdolyan.
