Russian oligarch Deripaska bypassed sanctions through Kazakhstan and bought new plane for US$36 million

Following the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Arsenal, a company connected to sanctioned Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska, purchased a business jet by circumventing sanctions through Kazakhstan.

Source: Russian opposition publication Verstka

Details: The jet purchased by Deripaska is a Falcon 7X business jet, issued in 2016, which seats up to 14 passengers.

According to the closed data of Russian customs statistics referred to by the publication, the jet was imported into Russia in February 2023. Under the contract of sale, it was sold to Arsenal.

"This company is registered in the Moscow business centre Victory Park, where Rusal [the second-largest aluminium company in the world, registered in Russia – ed.] is also registered. Since 2018, Arsenal has been owned by 74-year-old Natalia Kalgashkina.

Until 2012, when the company was liquidated, Kalgashkina headed the Investment and Management LLC, which belonged to Rusal. In addition, in 2017, Kalgashkina founded and owned another company related to aluminium trading for two years – ASK LLC," writes Verstka.

It is noted that after registration in Russia, the business jet received the tail number of RA-09618, and some of its flights coincide with the movements of Oleg Deripaska.

The board flew to Vladivostok on 11 September 2023, and left the city that evening. The oligarch was present at the Eastern Economic Forum that was being held at the time. Additionally, the jet travelled to Beijing for a meeting of the Russian-Chinese Friendship Committee from 27 November to 1 December, during which time it was announced that Deripaska would be attending.

The plane was purchased from the Kazakh carrier Irtysh-Air. Its cost, according to customs, is US$35.8 million.

Since April 2018, Deripaska has been under US sanctions for financing projects of Russian President Putin. In 2022, after the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, he was also put under EU and UK sanctions.

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