Support The Moscow Times!

Usmanov Tops List of Russia's Richest Businessmen

Alisher Usmanov

Alisher Usmanov has retained the title of Russia's richest businessman for the third year running, according to a Forbes ranking published Thursday.

Usmanov increased his wealth by $1 billion last year to $18.6 billion through successful investments in iron ore and steel firm Metalloinvest, mobile phone operator MegaFon, internet firm Mail.ru and the social network Facebook.

Andrei Makhonin / Vedomosti

Mikhail Fridman

Mikhail Fridman, founding owner of Alfa Group, ranks second, having increased his fortune by $1.1 billion to $17.6 billion.

He is followed by the founder and owner of oil-to-telecoms Renova Group Viktor Vekselberg with $17.2 billion. He increased his net worth by $2.1 billion last year and moved to the third place on the list from fourth.

Majority shareholder of Novolipetsk steel giant Vladimir Lisin, with 84 percent, rose to fourth place from eighth this year after his wealth grew by $2.5 billion to $16.6 billion.

Wikicommons

Viktor Vekselberg

Oil and gas magnate Leonid Mikhelson gained $200 million and ranks sixth with $15.6 billion.

LUKoil majority shareholder Vagit Alekperov ranks seventh with $13.6 billion, after losing $1.2 billion, while co-owner of Russia's top nickel producer Norilsk Nickel Vladimir Potanin lost $1.7 billion last year and ranks eighth with $12.6 billion. Main owner of EuroChem mineral fertilizer producer Andrei Melnichenko lost $3 billion and ranks ninth with $11.3 billion.

German Khan, co-owner of mobile operator VimpelCom, X5 Retail Group and Alfa Bank, ranked 10th with $11.3 billion after increasing his net worth by $800 million.

Vladimir Filonov / MT

Mikhail Prokhorov

Next on the Forbes list is Mikhail Prokhorov, a shareholder in top aluminum producer Rusal, potash fertilizer producer Uralkali and owner of U.S. basketball team the Brooklyn Nets, who topped the list in 2009 after selling his stake in Norilsk Nickel to Rusal, left the top 10 after losing $2.1 billion last year, bringing his fortune down to $10.9 billion.

Alexei Mordashov, main owner of Severstal steel producer, followed Prokhorov after his fortune shrank by $2.3 billion to $10.5 billion.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more