The founder of the bank of the same name, businessman Oleg Tinkov for the first time after his post on Instagram, where he made a strict criticism of the actions of the Russian authorities in Ukraine, gave an interview to the New York Times. The businessman’s statements are commented by the Russian BBC service.
According to Tinkov, the day after the post of post (businessman posted it on April 19), the administration of Russian President Vladimir Putin contacted the management of Tinkoff Bank and threatened to nationalize the bank if Tinkov does not break off with him, writing
last week, 35% of TCS Group Holding shares – the head structure of the Russian group Tinkoff – bought from the family of Oleg Tinkov by the Interros group Vladimir Potanin. The Bank of Russia approved the deal, its parameters are not disclosed.
Oleg Tinkov called the deal “a desperate sale, a sale with a discount” imposed on him by the Kremlin: “I could not discuss the price. This is a state of hostage – you take what they offer you without negotiations.”
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At the same time, Tinkov noted that he was grateful to Potanin for allowing him to help out at least some money from the sale of his share.
The businessman did not reveal the price, but said that he had sold his Dlie 3% of what he considered the true value: “They forced me to sell it because of my statements. He sold it for a penny.”
It is noted that Tinkov talked with the journalists of the American publication on the phone, he did not say where he was. He also said that he hired bodyguards after friends with ties in the Russian special services told him that he should be afraid for his life, and joked that although he experienced leukemia, perhaps “the Kremlin would kill him.”
The Kremlin did not respond to the request of the New York Times about the comments. Tinkoff Bank, which Tinkov founded in 2006, said that no threats were received by the bank management.
On the day when Tinkov published his post, the bank said that “Oleg Tinkov has not been a person who makes decisions in the Tinkoff group for many years.” Tinkov’s statement regarding the invasion of the Russian Federation to Ukraine was called his personal opinion. And a few days later, before the deal for the sale of the share of Oleg Tinkov, the bank said that in 2022 Tinkoff would rebrand and refuse to use the old brand.
In March, London imposed sanctions against Tinkov, but he denies that he gave this interview in the hope that restrictions would be removed from him. At the same time, he added that he hopes that the British government will ultimately “correct this mistake.”