Forbes reported on Thursday that Vasily Anisimov, a Russian businessman is among at least seven billionaires who have renounced their Russian citizenship following the invasion of Ukraine.
Anisimov, known as the former owner of the “Putinka” vodka brand license and the real estate holding Coalco, is now reportedly listed as a citizen of Croatia. Documents provided by Anisimov, aged 72, indicate that he ceased being a Russian citizen.
Reports from British media earlier noted a change in his citizenship from Russian to Croatian around mid-2022, based on company records in London.
It remains unclear whether President Vladimir Putin approved the annulment of Anisimov’s Russian citizenship, a process he has overseen for other wealthy businessmen like Ruben Vardanyan, who is of Armenian origin.
Anisimov obtained his first Croatian passport in 2003 and has invested approximately $11 million in the economy of the European Union member state, according to Forbes. The news outlet also confirmed that Anisimov transferred control of his Russian assets to local managers.
Currently, Anisimov travels in and out of Russia using a business visa.
He was among the 210 wealthy Russians associated with Putin listed by the U.S. Treasury in its “Kremlin list” in 2018, accused of meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Forbes estimates Anisimov’s current net worth at $1.6 billion.
