Living High on the Svin’ia
By Sean at 17 February, 2008, 11:16 am
The Russian financial magazine Finans has published more proof that capitalism under Putin is doing just fine. Fine for the Russia elite that is. Over the last year, Finans reports in its yearly tally of Russian super rich, the number of Russian billionaires has shot from 61 to 101. Their combined wealth comes to $715.3 billion and the top ten have a total wealth of $221 billion. Here are the top five richest Russians:
1. Oleg Deripaska, $40 billion, sole owner of Basic Element and chairman of Russian Aluminum.
2. Roman Abramovich, $23 billion, owner of Millhouse Capital and governor of Chukotka.
3. Vladimir Lisin, $22.2 billion, chairman of Novolipetsk Steel.
4. Mikhail Fridman, $22.2 billion, one of the main holders in Alfa Group.
5. Aleksei Mordashov, $22.1 billion, chairman of Severstal.
Finance and metals are what feeds the coffers of Russia’s super rich. Those and a good dose of political connections.
An even more interesting statistic is that Russia only trails the United States in the number of billionaires. There are over 400 American billionaires according to Forbes. Their net worth is around $1.54 trillion as of 2007. What are the sources of wealth for the top five richest Americans? The list includes Bill Gates ($59 billion), Warren Buffet ($52 billion), Sheldon Adelson ($28 billion), Lawrence Ellison ($26 billion), and Sergei Brin ($18.5 billion). Technology, investment and hotels/casinos serve as their sweet meats.
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The rich are getting richer and the poor…When one reads this one simple does not know what to think…
Deripaska bought a massive bauxite processing plant about 20km from where I live early last year. In fairness to him there’ve been no redundancies yet. But never mind that. He had RIHANNA sing for him at his party recently. She charged him 500,000 dollars for the 45 minute show. Both he and I think it was a bargain)
Derispaska props elitny court-appointed singers like Rihanna, while more inciteful Russia-friendly analysis can be found only in Amy Winehouse’s Quick Takes.
I KNEW IT CHRIS!! After all that, she IS a court-appointed Russian friendly! The bitch! She sang ‘Umbrella’ to serenade David Johnson and The Moscow Times! Why didnt I see it before? Of course! Hits like ‘Pon de Replay, JRL DJ’ and ”Please Dont Stop The mASS Media”
Chris, I actually think I’m in love with Rihanna. She’d give the babeage in Moscow a good game, never mind anywhere else.
The troll from Dublin again comes with his trolling and not so addressing the stated raised points refering to Rihanna and Amy Winehouse. AW is of Rysin ethnic background, a fact you have yet to refute, prefering your trolling ways as you troll.
Actually I only heard of Rihanna the other day, seeing her face plastered over a wall. Apparently she’s playing Moscow. Another dirty benefit of being a court-appointed not-so-Russia-friendly singer. Is Amy Winehouse playing? I think not. However, she still has her dignity, and her songs are well-received by many knowledgeable Russians and others. She also had several demos released years ago on EMI (pre-Internet version).
))) Good man, CD,)) do you do any other impressions? Actually you’re slightly off – there are too many parts of the above comment that are free of grammar mistakes! You’re going to have try a bit harder than that!) And you gave yourself away – seeing that poster in Moscow. Mike couldnt have seen it cos he’s never been to Moscow!
Is Rihanna playing Moskva? I know she’s playing Dublin, but I was banned by her indoors ever before it was even announced. Good grief she’s smoking hot. Even if she is a court-appointed applicably applied Russia friendly with Chris Doss as a cheerleader!
She is indeed playing Moscow!
Cosidering you’re a flack for the existing inequities and a cheerleader for the flaws in the Eng. lang. coverage of the FSU, can you get me backstage?)
I have to check with Rihanna (or “my smoking honey,” as we affectionately call each other), but I don’t think it should be a problem. You have to stand in line after DJ and PL, though.
Ah shit! I guessed that with your Eng. lang. FSU coverage connections, she could have been your biatch. Do you think Mike can get a backstage pass?
No. You have to fill out a form to get a pass, and one of the questions is “what do you do for a living”? Security protocols, you understand.
Well, thats a pity. What does he do for a living, I wonder..? Next thing we’ll be hearing that Rihanna is biased against Russia! What I find hysterical though is that he thinks himself the superiour of PL, when PL has half a ton of papers published in journals, not to mention speaking Russian. Where does the logic come into that?
Technology, investment and hotels/casinos serve as their sweet meats.
A handful of publishers usually do pretty well on these lists.
The rich are getting richer and the poor…When one reads this one simple does not know what to think…
I haven’t seen any figures, either official or unofficial, but I don’t think the poor are getting any poorer in Russia. In the unlikely event that they are, it doesn’t have anything to do with the rich getting richer.