Businessman on Kremlin’s ‘wanted list’ fears for his life
Tycoon who set up home in UK says he has been warned he will be killed if he ever returns to Russia
IT IS a bizarre tale that involves a Siberian coal mine, a Russian military drone, the glamorous daughter of a senior Kremlin politician and her tycoon husband living in one of Britain’s most luxurious mansions.
In a case that is likely to cause tension between Moscow and London, Dmitry Tsvetkov, a Russian businessman with British citizenship, has been placed on a Kremlin “wanted list” accused of unknown offences. He claims that if he ever returns to Russia, he will be killed. Mr Tsvetkov, 39, a father of two, has told The Sunday Telegraph he has done nothing wrong and is the victim of a campaign of intimidation and death threats in a row over the ownership of a coal mine in Siberia, conservatively worth half a billion pounds.
He is also embroiled in an inquiry into a Russian military drone contract. He says the strain has caused a temporary split in his marriage to Elsina Khayrova, a model and daughter of a Russian MP in Vladimir Putin’s ruling party and a former finance minister in the Republic of Tatarstan: “At the moment our relationship is complicated.”
The couple first made headlines in the UK when it emerged two years ago they had gone on a property spending spree, buying a £22million home on the Wentworth estate in Surrey and a £10million flat close to Harrods in central London. The homes, heavily mortgaged, were bought in Ms Khayrova’s name. The couple have also bought four other flats in London.
A notice posted on the Russian Ministry of Interior website earlier this month names Mr Tsvetkov as wanted.
The notification states: “Grounds for search: Wanted under an article of the Criminal Code.” It adds under the heading “Other”: “Was on the wanted list previously; no court ruling on bail or jail.”
Mr Tsvetkov, who trained as a lawyer and was granted UK citizenship in 2010, said he had not even been aware he was wanted by the Russian authorities until being informed by The Telegraph last week, adding: “But I am not surprised. Put it this way, I was receiving numerous phone calls from police agencies in Tatarstan. From my understanding of Russian criminal proceedings, the moment I enter Russia I will be brought
‘My friend said, the moment you get to Russia your life will be in danger. Basically he said I will be killed’
for interrogation in Tatarstan. I don’t think anybody else is interested in me.” He believes a gang in Russia has used the country’s corrupt criminal justice system to put pressure on him and his business partner and close friend Ildar Uzbekov to cede control or hand over shares in a vast Siberian coal mine called Polosukhinskaya, which until the pandemic was making about £100million a year in profits. A quarter of the shares are in Ms Khayrova’s name. A further inquiry was opened into a contract in which Mr Tsvetkov Tsvetk was involved for the develop development of a Russian military and civilian drone. He says that inv investigation has been closed w with no action taken. He says he first became aware of the threats against his life when a friend took him to one side during a holiday in Dubai in 2018 and said his busine business relationship with Mr U Uzbekov put him at risk. “M “My friend said, ‘Be careful. carefu The moment you get to Russia your life will be in dange danger.’ Basically, he said I will be k killed.” There have been rep reports the UK’s Na National Crime A Agency has been l looking at the num numerous property t transactions. Mr T Tsvetkov said he had no contact from t the NCA and all transactr tions were carried out throu through UK lawyers a and fully audited.
He rem remains in the mans mansion in Surrey, w with its £30,000 crystal taps, and spends his mo mornings playin playing golf and te tennis at the We n tworth Club. He beli believes he is safe in Britain altho although he points out h his car is armour-plat armour-plated.