Patriotic selflessness or fear-based fealty? Russian oligarchs prostrate themselves before the State

I've translated an interesting article from Lenta.ru quoting Alisher Usmanov and Oleg Deripaska as ready to give up their fortunes if the state requires it. The story makes one wonder just how far those Russian oligarchs who remain standing will go to avoid the fate of Khodorkovsky or others who have had to leave the country.

Usmanov has promised to shower Russia with gifts
Lenta.ru, Oct. 1, 2007

Entrepreneur Аlisher Usmanov, who purchased the art collection of Mstislav Rostropovich and Galina Vishnevskaya and gave it to the [Russian] state, has announced that he is "ready to give Russia, if she needs it," everything that he has [все, что у него есть]. He explained his motivation by noting that he is a proud citizen of Russia, according to Interfax. [...]

Vladimir Kozhin, head of the Presidential Business Management Department, spoke of the necessity of "beautifully, intelligently and worthily" celebrating the services of Usmanov, who refused a government award for the purchase and gift of the Rostropovich-Vishnevskaya collection. [...] Acquiring the collection cost Usmanov, the director of Gazprominvestholding and the owner of the Kommersant publishing house, $72 million.

This was not Usmanov's first gift. Earlier, he bought the worldwide screening rights to 550 Soviet animated films from the American company Films by Jove and gave the rights to VGTRK [the state broadcasting company that runs the "Rossiia" channel]. Aside from this, Usmanov is a co-owner of Arsenal, a London soccer team. According to the American magazine Forbes, his fortune is estimated at $5.5 billion.

In July of this year another big-time Russian businessman, Oleg Deripaska, also expressed his willingness to transfer, if necessary, a portion of his property to the government. He stated that he is willing to give the country, "if it becomes necessary," the metallurgical holding company Russian Aluminum (RusAl).

Usmanov is an unlikely hero, according to some. But he does sort of look the part of a beardless, tan Santa Claus.


Sean Guillory had a good post about Usmanov's repurchase of the library of animated films earlier this year - the centerpiece of which was the Cheburashka films. The higher-value purchase and gift of Rostropovich's art collection (which will be displayed at Putin's St. Petersburg residence, the Constantine Palace) follows in the footsteps of Viktor Vekselberg's repatriation of the Forbes Faberge eggs. The willingness to contribute personal assets "for the good of the country" brings to mind Roman Abramovich's contributions to the well-being of the Chukotka region. Tsar Putin is fortunate indeed to have such fawning boyars.