Russian tycoons study Usmanov and Fridman's escape from EU sanctions

Alisher Usmanov: Alisher Usmanov is a Russian-Uzbek billionaire businessman and founder of USM Holdings, with investments spanning metals, mining, and telecommunications sectors. He has longstanding international business ties, including in Central Asia and the Caucasus. Usmanov was recently delisted from EU sanctions as part of a broader compromise to renew restrictions on other Russian-linked individuals and entities. Mikhail Fridman: Mikhail Fridman is a Russian-Israeli billionaire and co-founder of Alfa Group, one of Russia’s major financial and industrial conglomerates. He has pursued legal challenges against sanctions in multiple jurisdictions. Fridman benefited from the same recent EU delisting that removed him from sanctions lists alongside Usmanov. Oligarch Response: Other Russian tycoons are examining the specific diplomatic and personal network factors that enabled the recent exemptions but see limited immediate applicability to their own situations. Sanctions Renewal: The EU extended its Russia sanctions regime for three years through September 2029 as part of a deal that included delisting two high-profile individuals. Diplomatic Compromise: France and Luxembourg successfully lobbied for the delistings citing national security and legal claims, leading to backlash from other EU members and Ukraine over setting a potential precedent.