An aide to Rishi Sunak once worked for a firm which advised an oligarch who was later sanctioned after Russia invaded Ukraine.
Tory election guru Isaac Levido, who spoke at Mr Sunak’s Cabinet awayday on Thursday, used to work at lobbyists CT. At the time, the company advised billionaire Andrey Melnichenko, whose net worth is put at $11billion.
Melnichenko was among those at a Kremlin meeting with Vladimir Putin after Russia’s invasion. There is no suggestion Levido personally advised Melnichenko, whose €530million yacht was seized in Italy last March after he was sanctioned by the EU.
The EU said Melnichenko – who founded a fertiliser giant and coal firm – “belongs to the most influential circle of Russian businesspeople with close connections to the Russian government” and “is a member of the closest circle of Vladimir Putin”.
A CT document seen by the Sunday Mirror outlined how to handle criticism of Melnichenko. It highlighted his “charitable activity” and said his superyachts pioneer “new maritime design, pushing the boundaries of naval technology”.
A CT spokesman said: “CT does not represent Andrey Melnichenko and has not done so for more than five years... as that document clearly evidences, that work had absolutely nothing to do with sanctions, matters of government policy nor geopolitical issues.”
A spokesman for Melnichenko said: “CT Group was one of a number of companies asked to present ideas. That was the full extent of the connection.”
A Cabinet Office spokesman said: “All government employees are subject to vetting and all special advisers declare their interests.”
The Conservative Party said: “This government has been resolute in standing up to Russian aggression.”
Levido’s firm was contacted for comment.
