MOSCOW, Aug 9 (Reuters) – Russian billionaire Oleg Deripaska faced sharp criticism from pro-war supporters on Friday after making a rare public statement against the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, describing it as “mad” and calling for an immediate, unconditional ceasefire.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Deripaska’s comments were made during an interview with Nikkei Asia on the sidelines of an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Business Advisory Council meeting in Japan, where he represented Russia. He criticized his country’s defense spending and emphasized the need to “stop the fire” to halt the war.
This marks the strongest anti-war statement from a prominent Russian businessman since the conflict began in February 2022. Philosopher Alexander Dugin, a key ideologist of the war, accused Deripaska of betraying Russian forces and aiding Ukraine, labeling his remarks a “stab in the back.”
Deripaska, who made his fortune in metals trading after the fall of the Soviet Union and is worth an estimated $2.8 billion, has been under U.S., EU, and UK sanctions. He had previously called for peace in 2022, describing the war as a tragedy for both Russian and Ukrainian people.
