Two Russian billionaires – Vagit Alekperov, founder of Lukoil, and Andrei Melnichenko, co-founder of EuroChem and SUEK – have earned more than any of their compatriots in the outgoing year 2023. According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Alekperov has increased his personal fortune by $9.14 billion to $24.5 billion since the beginning of the year, while Melnichenko has earned $4.03 billion since January, and his fortune is now estimated at $17.2 billion.
As Bloomberg’s calculations suggest, the aggregate wealth of the 25 richest Russians featured in the ranking has grown by $38.6 billion this year. Their overall personal capital amounts to $316.8 billion. The index also includes information on the value of shares owned by the businessmen.
The highest-ranking Russian billionaire is Vladimir Potanin, one of the key owners of Nornickel – the world’s largest nickel and palladium producer. Having shown 15-fold growth in a year, Mr. Potanin’s fortune is currently estimated at $30.7 billion. In the overall Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Vladimir Potanin is ranked 47th.
