Putin’s pal given a British passport
VLADIMIR Putin’s former minister got a UK passport after a now-sanctioned Russian oligarch fixed him up with a job here.
In 2004 the Home Office granted Vladimir Chernukhin, Mr Putin’s former finance minister, a work visa because oligarch Oleg Deripaska arranged a post for him here, Mr Chernukhin has claimed in court.
It led to his British citizenship. His wife Lubov, also now a Brit, has since become the biggest female political donor in UK history, stuffing Tory coffers to the tune of almost £2million.
The Home Office declined to comment on individual cases.
A Conservative Party source said it could not comment on “the immigration system run by a Labour government 17 years ago”.
But the party noted that Mr Chernukhin fled Russia because of his support for a leading critic of Putin at the time.