Long before Russia invaded Ukraine, its entrepreneurs and oligarchs have invaded corporate Europe. According to the Italian report Inside the matrioska, almost 44,000 Russian individuals are beneficial owners of companies registered in the EU, in the UK, and in Switzerland. The highest number can be observed in the Czech Republic, followed by the United Kingdom, Latvia, Germany, Bulgaria, and Cyprus. In terms of corporate value owned by Russian oligarchs, Cyprus is the #1 in Europe! The Russian invasion of corporate Europe is a fact!
Data source: Inside the matrioska: the firms controlled by sanctioned ‘oligarchs’ across European regions and sectors. This analysis is part of TOM – The Ownership Monitor, a joint initiative by Transcrime and its spin-off Crime&tech.
According to DATACROS tool and Bureau van Dijk data 33 oligarchs own (declared) shares in firms in the European Union, United Kingdom, and Switzerland. They control at least 5% of the shares in 1,402 European companies directly or indirectly. The estimated value of these companies reaches nearly $440 billion.
Most of the firms owned by the identified oligarchs are located in Germany, followed by Austria, the UK, Cyprus, and, the Netherlands. Looking at total assets, Cyprus ranks first with $106 billion, followed by Luxembourg with $95 billion, the United Kingdom, Germany, and the Netherlands.
