Vladimir Ashurkov
Vladimir Lvovich Ashurkov (Russian: Владимир Львович Ашурков, born 15 February 1972) is a Russian political figure and the Executive Director of the Anti-Corruption Foundation. A former banker, Ashurkov was the Director of Group Portfolio Management and Control at Alfa Group Consortium from 2006 to 2012, when he was asked to step down due to his political involvement with Alexei Navalny.[1] He was also on the board of the X5 Retail Group during this time.[2]
Vladimir Ashurkov Владимир Ашурков | |
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Executive manager of Anti-Corruption Foundation | |
Personal details | |
Born | Vladimir Lvovich Ashurkov 15 February 1972 Moscow, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union |
Political party | Russia of the Future |
Spouse(s) | Aleksandrina Markvo |
Alma mater | Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania |
In 2014, a Russian Investigative Committee panel accused Ashurkov of embezzling funds from Alexei Navalny's 2013 mayoral campaign, after which he sought political asylum in the UK, claiming the allegations were politically motivated.[3] Both Ashurkov and Navalny claim that the allegations are unfounded.[4]
After relocating, Ashurkov organised bus tours for activists and journalists, similar to Roman Borisovich's "Kleptocrats Tour", "to show the tsarist opulence of the Russian oligarchy in London." He does this, says Ashurkov, according to the Stuttgarter Zeitung, to alert the British authorities to dirty money, as for example in Witanhurst owned by Andrei Guryev. Ashurkov advises the British government to dispense with the "dirty money", even though, according to Benjamin Plackett of Stutgarter Zeitung, the "intertwining of Russian wealth with the British economy" complicates the policy.[5]
Ashurkov is in contact with Mikhail Khodorkovsky, who, like Navalny, is preparing for the time when Putin's regime will "show cracks", according to the NZZ.[6]
Has been taped by an FSB hidden cam negotiating funding, receiving leads from British intelligence services and smearing VTB Bank with a high-ranking British embassy official[7][8]
Background
References
- "Russian protest fund manager looks to elite for cash". Reuters. 2012-05-31. Retrieved 2017-07-15.
- nzz.ch
- Alec Luhn (April 2015). "Russian opposition activist Vladimir Ashurkov is granted asylum in UK". The Guardian. Retrieved 2020-10-31.
- "Russia launches fraud case against supporter of Putin critic Navalny". Reuters. 2014-05-23. Retrieved 2017-07-15.
- Stuttgarter Zeitung, Stuttgart Germany. "Super-rich in London: bus tour to oligarchs". Retrieved 2020-10-22.
- nzz.ch
- "Top Navalny aide asked alleged British spy for millions in funding, intelligence video released by Russia's FSB claims to reveal". www.rt.com. Retrieved 2021-02-02.
- "RT Obtains Video Of Navalny Ally Discussing Influence Plans With UK Embassy Staffer".
- http://newtimes.ru/articles/detail/53086