The UK Department of Defense explained in the figures it released that “immigration claims indicate that 15,000 Russian millionaires are trying to leave the country, with the majority heading for Australia and a limited list of other countries”, given that “Russia has become after the military operation she launched against Ukraine.

In this regard, the American news website The Daily Beast, citing the British company Hanley Partners, which specializes in facilitating residence and citizenship applications, reported that “a shocking number of Russian millionaires are trying to get their money from their country in this year,” noting that “it is not clear whether the fugitives will be able to take their property with them or if Russian President Vladimir Putin has complicated the operation on them.

The Russian authorities did not comment on these reports, while the Moscow authorities argued that the country’s economy was able to “absorb” the effects of Western economic sanctions and “benefited from the uncertainty in the global oil market, as well as from the imposition of payment for the cost of oil and gas purchases.” Russians in local currency instead of foreign.

It is noteworthy that since Russia launched a military operation against Ukraine on February 24, the European Union has imposed sanctions on the fortunes of about 700 senior politicians, businessmen and a number of wealthy people associated with President Vladimir Putin.