Vladimir Putin’s Net Worth
Russian President Vladimir Putin presents himself as an “ordinary politician” with an annual income of around $1.4 lakh (approximately ₹1.17 crore). According to the week, Kremlin documents from this year list his declared assets as consisting of only an 800-square-foot apartment, a trailer, and three cars. However, many experts and financial analysts believe Putin’s true net worth is in the billions of dollars, making him one of the world’s wealthiest individuals.
Putin’s net worth: It’s nearly impossible to accurately estimate Russian President Putin’s true net worth, but estimates from top experts are startling. According to financial expert Bill Browder, once Russia’s largest foreign investor, Putin’s net worth could be as high as $200 billion. Browder told the US Senate that this wealth began to accumulate after the arrest of oligarch Mikhail Khodorkovsky in 2003, when Putin demanded a 50% commission from other oligarchs in exchange for avoiding prison.
Similarly, Swedish economist Anders Ostlund estimates Putin’s net worth to be between $100 and $130 billion. If the $200 billion estimate is correct, Putin would be just behind Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos in terms of wealth, and even surpass Mark Zuckerberg.
How did Putin earn so much wealth? Transparency International has described Russia as a “kleptocracy—a regime of thieves.” Putin’s wealth has been built largely through a system based on extortion and theft of government funds. The week reported that Putin allegedly pressures Russian oligarchs (wealthy businessmen) to “extort” shares and cash from them. According to Forbes, Putin enriches his friends and relatives by giving them government contracts or stakes in companies, and in return receives “commissions” or shares.
