Fridman (Mikhail)

Mikhail Fridman (born 1964) is a Russian billionaire businessman and co-founder of the Alfa Group, one of Russia's largest privately-owned investment groups. Known for his influence in the Russian business community, Fridman has faced significant scrutiny due to his connections with Russia amidst the ongoing war in Ukraine.Fridman, who was born in Ukraine, has publicly called for an end to the conflict and expressed his dismay over the war. After the full-scale invasion, Fridman was put on EU, UK and US sanction lists for supporting Russian leaders responsible for the annexation of Crimea and destabilization of Ukraine. Additionally, he and his business partner, Petr Aven, were accused of attempting to lift Western sanctions imposed on Russia. However, in 2024, the European Court overturned the EU sanctions against Fridman, citing insufficient evidence to prove he supported or benefited from the Russian government's actions. Despite this, Fridman remains under other sanctions, including those from the UK and the US, which label him as a pro-Kremlin oligarch. [ChatGPT, edited]