Russian oligarch complains ‘I can’t even pay in a restaurant’ after UK sanctions

A sanctioned Russian oligarch has asked the UK for an allowance so he can go out and buy food.

In an interview, the Ukrainian-born Mikhail Fridman, who has an alleged net wealth of £11.9billion, said he now has to eat at his Athlone House home situated on the edge of Hampstead Heath, due to the sanctions on his wealth.

Although he has previously spoken out against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Mr Fridman was sanctioned by the Government on March 15, and said he is now “practically under house arrest”.

Speaking to Spanish newspaper El Pais, he said: “The authorities in the UK should give me a certain amount so I can go in a taxi and buy food, but it will be a very limited amount in relation to the cost of living in London.“

“I can’t even pay in a restaurant. I have to eat at home and I am practically under house arrest.”

Mr Fridman is the founder of Russia’s largest private bank, Alfa Bank, and had been director of LetterOne - which owns shares in Holland & Barrett - before he stood down from the position earlier this month.

He also claimed the sanctions of Russian businessmen will have no impact, while bemoaning them given the amount of money he has invested in the UK.

“I’ve been in London for eight years, I’ve invested billions of dollars in Britain and other European countries and the answer to this is that they confiscate everything and throw me out,” he said.

“The people who have been sanctioned will have to return to Russia, where they will have no choice but to be absolutely loyal, and where they will continue to work, because they are energetic, brilliant and talented people, and they will start businesses and create jobs.”

In an email to staff at LetterOne, he criticised the conflict in a rare political statement.

As reported by the Financial Times, he said: “I do not make political statements, I am a businessman with responsibilities to my many thousands of employees in Russia and Ukraine.

“I am convinced however that war can never be the answer. This crisis will cost lives and damage two nations who have been brothers for hundreds of years.

“While a solution seems frighteningly far off, I can only join those whose fervent desire is for the bloodshed to end. I’m sure my partners share my view.”