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DONATE NOW<\/a><\/p>\n This accumulation of\u00a0capital has officially eclipsed the volume of\u00a0savings held by\u00a0Russian citizens in\u00a0term ruble deposits, excluding current accounts. Data from the Bank of\u00a0Russia indicates that as\u00a0of\u00a0February 1, 2026, the population\u2019s deposits amounted to\u00a046.23 trillion rubles. At\u00a0the current exchange rate of\u00a078.74 rubles to\u00a0the dollar, this equates to\u00a0approximately $587 billion, falling significantly short of\u00a0the billionaires’ combined fortunes.<\/p>\n The recent figures mark a\u00a0stark contrast to\u00a0the economic landscape of\u00a02022. Following the Russia\u2019s full-scale invasion of\u00a0Ukraine and implementation of\u00a0widespread sanctions and a\u00a0sharp decline in\u00a0the Russian stock market, the collective wealth of\u00a0the country\u2019s billionaires initially plummeted to\u00a0$352.8 billion, with the number of\u00a0individuals on\u00a0the list dropping to\u00a088.<\/p>\n However, their capital has since rebounded, demonstrating consistent growth for the fourth consecutive year, according to\u00a0The Moscow Times.<\/p>\n The ranking is\u00a0currently led by\u00a0Alexey Mordashov, the owner of\u00a0Severstal, who holds a\u00a0fortune of\u00a0$37 billion and ranks 57th globally. Vladimir Potanin, the owner of\u00a0Norilsk Nickel and T-Bank, occupies the second position among Russians and 79th globally.<\/p>\n Read more<\/p>\n CategoryWorld<\/a>Where Russian War Profiteers Own Villas, Hotels, and Banks in Europe, Mapped<\/a><\/p>\n \n Feb 17, 2026 18:07\n <\/p>\n Over the past year, his wealth increased by\u00a0$5.5 billion to\u00a0reach $29.7 billion. Vagit Alekperov, the founder of\u00a0Lukoil, rounds out the top three with an\u00a0estimated net worth of\u00a0$29.5 billion, placing him 81st on\u00a0the worldwide list.<\/p>\n The 2026\u00a0Forbes list also introduces 14\u00a0new Russian billionaires. Among these newcomers are brothers Ruslan and Timur Rakhimkulov, owners of\u00a0the investment holdings Kafijat and MGTR Alliance, which hold stakes in\u00a0Hungarian companies. Their fortunes are estimated at\u00a0$1.9 billion and $1.8 billion, respectively, The Moscow Times wrote.<\/p>\n Former Krasnodar region governor and Agrokomplex owner Alexander Tkachev also entered the ranking for the first time with $1.8 billion. Additionally, Vladimir Ivanov, a\u00a0former Yandex programmer and co-owner of\u00a0Nebius Group, joined the list with a\u00a0capital valuation of\u00a0$1 billion.<\/p>\n This massive accumulation of\u00a0wealth at\u00a0the top comes exactly as\u00a0the Russian state burns<\/a> through its reserves to\u00a0fund the war in\u00a0Ukraine. While the country\u2019s elite have successfully recovered and expanded their assets, the Kremlin has been forced to\u00a0hike taxes and drain its National Wealth Fund just to\u00a0keep the military running.<\/p>\n The so-called \u201cfortress economy\u201d built by\u00a0Moscow has essentially cracked under the weight of\u00a0wartime spending, resulting in\u00a0soaring inflation and mortgage rates hitting\u00a020%. As\u00a0billionaires consolidate their capital, the financial burden of\u00a0Western sanctions and the ongoing invasion is\u00a0falling almost entirely on\u00a0the everyday Russian public.<\/p>\n![\"Where](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/(x91-y82-w1349-h762)-27ef304a0bfb28cb4215e5deede4a665.png\")
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