Some Russian oligarchs speak out, cautiously, against war

By JILL LAWLESS
Associated Press

Russia’s war on Ukraine has sent shockwaves through the global community of wealthy Russians who have built luxurious lives in the West while keeping close to the Kremlin. Some have begun, tentatively, to speak out. London’s Evening Standard ran a front-page statement by the newspaper’s Russia-born owner, Evgeny Lebedev, headlined: “President Putin, please stop this war.” Metals magnate Oleg Deripaska, Alfa Bank founder Mikhail Fridman and banker Oleg Tinkov have also urged an end to the violence, though none has directly mentioned Putin. Elisabeth Schimpfössl, author of the book “Rich Russians,” said those speaking out were seeking to strike a balance: “trying not to make Putin too angry while thinking into the future.”