"Friends don't act this way, but politics is politics," said Alisher Usmanov.

Billionaire Alisher Usmanov gave an interview to the Italian newspaper Corriere Della Sera, where he stated that he has never received “dubious assistance from the government.”

According to Usmanov, the sanctions have affected not only himself but also other family members, the companies in which he is a shareholder, the employees of those companies, and “tens of thousands of people” who received support through his charitable foundations and development projects: “The damage to my reputation is evident — it is enormous.”

Commenting on the sanctions against Russian oligarchs in general, Usmanov noted that these measures are unlikely to stop the hostilities, and reminded that Western companies that continue to operate in Russia and pay taxes have not been sanctioned: “When people are labeled because of money or the passport in their pocket, we know from history what disasters will occur. If collective responsibility is applied, justice will be dead.”

Usmanov distanced himself from the status of “oligarch,” emphasizing that he “did not participate in privatizations” and did not receive “dubious assistance from the government.” “As for Putin, yes, he awarded me several times for my achievements, but he did this in the years when foreigners competed for the same recognition. So what? Has achieving success suddenly become a crime?” — Usmanov questions.

When asked if Usmanov considers Russia's decision to invade Ukraine to be correct, the businessman replied that he keeps “away from politics” and prefers areas where “people can be united, not divided.” These include sports, business, and charity. “I feel close to all the victims of the military actions in Ukraine and hope that this tragic conflict will end soon and that diplomacy will eventually play its role. We need to restore the mutual trust that was lost so quickly. To everyone without exception, including Europeans,” he stated.

Usmanov also lamented the seizure of his property in Sardinia by Italian authorities: “Friends don’t act this way. But I understand that politics is politics.” In Sardinia, Usmanov owns the Merloni villa, purchased for 35 million euros in 2005. He mentioned that he has special ties with Italy. In 2020, he donated 500,000 euros to Sardinia to combat coronavirus. “I am grateful to you and all the residents of Sardinia for the warm welcome on this beautiful island for nearly 30 years, up to the present time. My modest contribution is the least I can do for those affected by the pandemic and for those who selflessly fight it in Sardinia,” he wrote at that time.

Sanctions Against Usmanov

Alisher Usmanov was placed under personal EU sanctions just a few days after the war began in February 2022. In a briefing note, European officials referred to Usmanov as an “oligarch with particularly close ties to the Russian president.” The U.S. imposed sanctions against the billionaire in March last year but exempted his assets from blocking sanctions. Sanctions were also imposed against him by Canada, the United Kingdom, and Japan.

In 2017, following the release of Alexei Navalny's film “He’s Not Dimon to You,” Usmanov sued the opposition figure: the investigation claimed that the businessman gifted a house in Rublyovka to associates of Dmitry Medvedev.

On the day of the first hearing on the lawsuit, Usmanov released a statement addressing the opposition figure, demanding an apology for the accusations. In response, Navalny offered Usmanov a debate, which the billionaire declined in a second statement. Usmanov won the court case — Navalny was ordered to remove the investigation.

Usmanov is contesting the imposition of Western sanctions in court. The billionaire's lawyers are trying to prove that he was sanctioned not because of his ties to Putin, but because his notoriety made him an easy target.