Forbes: Russian billionaires become $62 bln richer in pandemic

MOSCOW, May 26 (PRIME) -- The combined wealth of Russian billionaires grew by U.S. $62 in the two months of the coronavirus pandemic since March 18 to $454 billion as of Monday, the Forbes Real-Time Billionaires list showed on Tuesday.

The combined wealth of five richest Russians increased by $22.6 billion in the period to $109.5 billion.

Tycoon Vladimir Potanin – core owner and the president of metals giant Norilsk Nickel – kept the first place with the wealth rising by $6.4 billion to $26.1 billion. Leonid Mikhelson, founder and CEO of independent gas producer Novatek and co-owner of petrochemical holding Sibur, occupied the second place with the wealth rising to $22.5 billion from $17.1 billion. Vladimir Lisin, core owner and chairman of the board of directors of steelmaker NLMK, was ranked third with the wealth increasing to $21 billion from $18.1 billion.

The total amount of dollar billionaires in Russia grew to 101 people from 99 people during the pandemic. The wealth threshold of $1 billion was conquered by Roman Avdeyev from Rossium and by Vitaly Orlov, CEO of fish holding Norebo.

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