Alisher Usmanov

Alisher Usmanov
Born	(1953-09-09) September 9, 1953 Chust, Uzbekistan
Occupation(s)	Businessman, investor
Known for	49% ownership in Metalloinvest, former president of Fédération Internationale d'Escrime

Alisher Burkhanovich Usmanov (, ; born 9 September 1953) is a businessman and investor of Russian-Uzbek origin, ranked 149th among the world's wealthiest individuals by Forbes, with an estimated fortune of $16.8 billion. This wealth largely stems from his 49% ownership in Metalloinvest. Frequently labeled a Russian oligarch, Usmanov is alleged to have close connections with President of Russia Vladimir Putin, a claim he has consistently denied. In response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, he has been subjected to sanctions imposed by the US, EU, UK, and Ukraine.

Usmanov amassed considerable wealth following the dissolution of the Soviet Union through investments in metal and mining industries, coupled with early shares in technology companies such as Facebook, Twitter, VK, and Alibaba Group. His holdings extend beyond Metalloinvest to include the ownership of the Kommersant media group, joint control of the mobile operator MegaFon, and the Udokan mine, recognized as one of the largest copper reserves worldwide.

He held the presidency of the Fédération Internationale d'Escrime, the international governing body for fencing, from 2008 until 2022, before resuming this position in 2024.

In his late twenties, Usmanov was incarcerated for six years on charges related to fraud and embezzlement within the Soviet legal system; these convictions were subsequently annulled. In 2000, Uzbekistan's Supreme Court politically exonerated him, declaring the original prosecution baseless.

Currently residing in Tashkent, Usmanov is connected through marriage to President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev and is acknowledged for supporting Mirziyoyev’s rise to power.

Early life; education, imprisonment, marriage and divorce

Born in Uzbekistan in the town of Chust, Usmanov was raised in Tashkent, where his father worked as a state prosecutor and his mother, Dilbar, was a Russian language educator.

Aspiring to enter diplomacy, he relocated to Moscow and after an initial rejection gained admission to the Moscow State Institute of International Relations, completing his studies in 1976 with a degree in international law.

Upon returning to Tashkent, Usmanov assumed the role of director at the Foreign Economic Association under the Soviet Peace Committee.

In August 1980, he was arrested and convicted on multiple charges including fraud, corruption, and misappropriation of state assets within the Uzbek SSR. He served six years in a remote prison in Uzbekistan from 1980 to 1986 as part of an eight-year sentence.

In July 2000, Uzbekistan’s Supreme Court overturned his conviction, concluding that the charges had been fabricated and no criminal act had occurred. Nevertheless, this account has been challenged by Craig Murray, who served as British Ambassador to Uzbekistan from 2002 to 2004. Subsequently, Usmanov’s public relations efforts attempted to remove mentions of his conviction and imprisonment from Wikipedia.

Early years

Usmanov achieved millionaire status in US dollars prior to the dissolution of the Soviet Union. During the late 1980s, he established Agroplast, a private enterprise specializing in the production of plastic bags, which were in short supply at the time. While he accumulated significant wealth following the USSR's collapse, he consistently stated that he did not engage in the privatization of state assets.

Between 1990 and 1994, Usmanov served as Deputy General Director at Intercross JSC, subsequently heading Interfin Interbank Investment and Finance Company until 1998. He also provided consultancy services to Moscow Aviation Industrial Enterprise from 1994 to 1995 and held the position of First Deputy Chairman at MAPO-Bank between 1995 and 1997. From 1998 through 2014, he occupied various executive roles at Gazprom Vestholding LLC, including general director from 2000 to 2014. During his tenure, Gazprom Vestholding acquired significant assets such as Severneftegazprom, Zapsibgazprom, Sibur, and a controlling stake exceeding 50% in Stroytransgaz. Usmanov departed from Gazprom Vestholding in 2014.

USM Holdings and Metalloinvest

In 1999, Usmanov co-established Metalloinvest alongside Vasily Anisimov with the objective of acquiring assets within the metal industry. Unlike numerous Russian oligarchs who obtained control through loans-for-shares schemes, Usmanov expanded Metalloinvest primarily via secondary market purchases. The enterprise controls leading Russian metallurgical and mining companies including Lebedinsky GOK, Mikhailovsky GOK, Oskol Elektrometallurgical Plant, Ural Steel (which was divested in 2022 to Zagorsk Pipe Plant), and Ural Scrap Company.

Usmanov possesses a 49% ownership interest in USM Holdings, an international conglomerate operating across metals and mining, telecommunications, and technology sectors. Between 2006 and 2008, USM acquired stakes in Australian mining firms such as Strike Resources (notably for Peruvian iron ore), Medusa Mining, Mt Gibson, and Aztec Resources through Gallagher Holdings. In 2013, USM consolidated assets belonging to Andrei Skoch and Farhad Moshiri by means of a merger.

In 2009, Metalloinvest divested its 10.37% holding in Medusa Mining for A$56 million. The company was also the second-largest shareholder in Nautilus Minerals until its bankruptcy filing in 2019.

In November 2015, USM made a strategic investment of US$100 million into esports organization Virtus Pro, marking a move into competitive gaming diversification.

In 2021, USM together with Metalloinvest revealed plans to construct one of the world’s largest hot-briquetted iron eco-factories located in Kursk Oblast, aiming to provide environmentally sustainable steelmaking solutions amid increasing industry demands for greener production methods.

Udokan Copper

Metalloinvest acquired the Udokan mining licence in 2008 for $500 million. Discovered during Soviet times, Udokan ranks among the largest copper deposits worldwide with an estimated resource of 26.7 million tonnes of copper ore classified under JORC standards.

Mining operations commenced in 2020 by Baikal Mining Company (later renamed Udokan Copper) at this remote site that had remained inactive since 1949 due to its isolated location and challenging climate conditions. The project involves constructing a mining and metallurgical complex designed to produce cathode copper and concentrate with an annual output goal of up to 125,000 tonnes of copper along with processing approximately 12 million tonnes of ore.

Mail.Ru Group / VK

In 2008, Usmanov joined forces with Yuri Milner becoming a shareholder in DST Global and VKontakte (VK). He initially held a 25.3% equity stake alongside a majority voting interest of 60.6% until 2013 when he sold shares valued at $530 million, reducing his ownership to a 17.9% stake and voting rights of 58.1%.

That same year, through VK, Usmanov acquired Pavel Durov’s shares in Vk.ru to reinforce Durov’s control over Telegram amid takeover attempts by UCP.

By December 2021, Usmanov exited his remaining holdings in VK by selling them to Sogaz, a state-owned insurance company predominantly controlled by Gazprom, citing his decision to divest at the company’s peak market valuation.

Megafon

In May 2008, Usmanov secured a controlling interest in the mobile telecommunications company MegaFon. Through his holding company USM, he possesses a 49% ownership in MegaFon.

Other investments

In 2009, Usmanov’s Mail.ru invested $200 million to acquire a 1.96% share in Facebook, valuing the social network at $10 billion. He agreed to Mark Zuckerberg’s conditions, which excluded voting rights, and later profited $1.4 billion by selling these shares in 2013.

DST Global made a $400 million investment in Twitter in 2011, obtaining a 5% stake that was liquidated by 2014.

Through Mail.ru Group, Usmanov directed investments into various global technology firms such as Groupon, Zynga, Airbnb, Zocdoc, Xiaomi, Alibaba Group, and JD.com.

In 2013, he committed $100 million to Apple shares but divested from them by early 2014.

In September 2018, Mail.ru established a $2 billion joint venture with Alibaba aimed at integrating their Russian e-commerce platforms, an initiative backed by the Kremlin via the Russian Direct Investment Fund.

Kommersant and media firms

Usmanov ventured into the media industry in August 2006 by purchasing Kommersant, a newspaper formerly owned by oligarch Boris Berezovsky, for $200 million. In November of the same year, he acquired a 50% share of the Russian sports broadcaster 7TV for $25 million. By June 2007, he had bought a 75% stake in music channel Muz-TV for $300 million. In 2011, he sold part of his interest in 7TV to Walt Disney Company for $300 million. Eventually, in 2017, Usmanov transferred his television assets to his business associate Ivan Tavrin.

Retirement

Usmanov announced his intention to retire at age 63 in 2012. By 2014, he had withdrawn from active management roles and redirected his efforts toward philanthropic activities, including projects focused on Uzbekistan and sports development. In 2023, he stepped down from the board of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs.

During a 2020 interview with the Financial Times, Usmanov revealed plans to divide his holdings evenly between his family and USM’s management team: "Fifty per cent to family, fifty per cent to management, who deserve this, in my view."

From 2007 until 2018, Usmanov held shares in the English football club Arsenal. His entry into football investment occurred in August 2007 when he purchased a 14.58% stake alongside partner Farhad Moshiri, acquiring former vice-chairman David Dein’s shares for £75 million. Dein took charge of their investment entity Red and White Holdings, which became Arsenal’s largest shareholder outside the boardroom.

By September 2007, Red and White Holdings expanded its ownership to 23%, ranking as the second-largest shareholder after non-executive director Danny Fiszman. Usmanov increased his holdings to over 24% by February 2008 and further to 25% by February 2009, confirming Red and White as Arsenal’s principal shareholder. Although funding was available to boost their stake further, there were no immediate plans for a full takeover; surpassing a 30% stake would have triggered a mandatory offer.

Usmanov’s involvement prompted Arsenal’s board to introduce a "lock-down" agreement that limited share sales to approved parties and granted directors first refusal rights until 2012.

American investor Stan Kroenke raised his Arsenal shareholding above 62% in April 2011 by acquiring interests from Fiszman and Lady Bracewell-Smith, becoming majority shareholder and obligating him to make an offer for remaining shares. Usmanov declined to sell and maintained his position, increasing it beyond 29% in June 2011 and purchasing additional shares from Scottish club Rangers in February 2012. By October 2013, his stake exceeded 30%.

In July 2012, Usmanov publicly criticized Arsenal’s financial strategy and ambitions while affirming no intention to divest. Following prolonged disputes with club management, he sold his shares to Kroenke for £550 million in August 2018, consolidating Kroenke’s control over Arsenal.

Everton F.C.

In January 2017, Usmanov's investment firm, USM, finalized a sponsorship agreement exceeding $15 million over five years with Everton F.C. for the naming rights of the club’s training facility, Finch Farm. Farhad Moshiri, Usmanov’s accountant and USM associate, previously held the position of Everton’s majority shareholder and co-owned Usmanov's Arsenal shares via Red and White holdings. By 2019, Megafon took on the role of sleeve sponsor for Everton men's training apparel and became the official presenting partner on matchdays, later extending its partnership in 2020 to become the principal sponsor for the women's squad. Despite restrictions preventing Usmanov from entering the UK in 2021, entities affiliated with him continued to financially support Everton.

Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Everton ceased its sponsorship agreements with USM and Megafon in March 2022.

International Fencing Federation (FIE)

A former sabre competitor representing the Uzbek SSR, Usmanov has actively supported fencing through his foundation "For the Future of Fencing," founded in 2004. He held the presidency of both the Russian Fencing Federation from 2001 to 2009 and the European Fencing Confederation between 2005 and 2009.

Usmanov was elected as president of the International Fencing Federation (FIE) in 2008 and secured re-election in 2012, 2016, and by unanimous acclaim in 2021. His tenure saw an expansion of Olympic fencing disciplines to a total of twelve.

After sanctions were imposed on him, Usmanov stepped down from his FIE presidential responsibilities on 1 March 2022, appointing Emmanuel Katsiadakis as interim leader. On 30 November 2024, he was once again re-elected but immediately suspended himself, allowing Katsiadakis to resume interim presidency duties.

Other

In February 2008, Metalloinvest replaced Xerox as the shirt sponsor for FC Dynamo Moscow in a $7 million agreement. Usmanov participated in the advisory councils for both the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics and Paralympic Games and serves as a trustee for the Russian Olympian Sportsmen Support Fund. In 2015, USM invested around $100 million into Eastern European eSports organization Virtus.pro.

Legal suppression of Craig Murray's accusations

On 2 September 2007, former British Ambassador to Uzbekistan Craig Murray accused Usmanov of engaging in criminal acts such as racketeering and bribery, alleging an $88 million payoff to Uzbekistan’s president’s daughter. Murray also implicated Usmanov in a rape cover-up and suggested involvement in a journalist’s death.

In December 2007, The Mail on Sunday republished these claims but retracted them following legal threats from Usmanov’s representatives and issued an apology. Murray’s original article was subsequently removed by his web host under pressure from Usmanov’s lawyers at Schillings, who also instructed independent blogs to delete references to these allegations.

In September 2007, Indymedia received takedown requests that inadvertently affected unrelated political blogs hosted on the same server, including those run by Boris Johnson and Bloggerheads.com.

Censorship in Kommersant of criticism of Putin

On 12 December 2011, amid protests against alleged parliamentary election fraud during the 2011 Russian protests, Kommersant Vlast published a critical edition targeting Vladimir Putin titled "Victory of United ballot-stuffers," a play on Putin's party name United Russia. Following this issue’s release—which featured an image of a ballot marked with "Putin, go fuck yourself" written in red ink alongside a caption stating "A correctly filled out ballot recognized as invalid"—Usmanov dismissed editor Maxim Kovalsky and Andrei Galiyev, head of the publisher's holding company. He cited an "ethical breach," labeling the publication "bordering on petty hooliganism." Demyan Kudryavtsev, head of Kommersant’s publishing house, resigned acknowledging that internal protocols, journalistic standards, and Russian law had been violated by this edition.

Nadezhda Azhgihina, executive secretary of the Russian Union of Journalists, condemned this event as overt owner censorship. On 14 December, sixty journalists at Kommersant signed an open letter protesting Kovalsky’s termination as intimidation aimed at suppressing criticism of Putin. They criticized framing the dismissal as a campaign for linguistic purity as a falsehood that offended many during elections. While Usmanov expressed sympathy toward staff concerns, he defended Kommersant Vlast as an esteemed independent socio-political publication. Mikhail Prokhorov—then running for president in 2012—offered to acquire Kommersant, but Usmanov declined. Kovalsky returned to Kommersant in 2013 and remained until his death from cancer in 2019.

Sanctions Affecting Kommersant

Although Alisher Usmanov faced sanctions from the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Kommersant—owned by the SDN—received an exemption under OFAC General License No. 64, permitting transactions deemed "ordinarily incident and necessary" for its functioning. U.S. authorities recognize Kommersant as among the few remaining independent media outlets in Russia. Nonetheless, the unclear provisions of the license caused numerous international collaborators to halt their partnerships, significantly damaging the newspaper’s operations. As a result, Kommersant lost access to essential services such as the Bloomberg Terminal and was removed from Google Discover, which accounted for close to 40% of its daily web traffic.

Modifications to English Wikipedia Entry

In 2012, Usmanov hired the London-based public relations agency RLM Finsbury to alter his English Wikipedia page by eliminating mentions of criminal convictions and controversies. This move provoked criticism within the UK’s PR sector, with the Chartered Institute of Public Relations underscoring that professionals should refrain from editing Wikipedia pages on behalf of clients. The agency claimed that it acted without Usmanov’s direct approval. These changes were reportedly made in advance of MegaFon's initial public offering, a company under Usmanov’s control.

Connections with Putin’s Advisors

In 2004, Usmanov acquired a 13% stake in Corus Group (later known as Tata Steel Europe) by borrowing $49.5 million from Sevenkey, a trust benefiting Igor Shuvalov, a senior aide to Vladimir Putin; these funds originated from Eugene Shvidler. Despite Usmanov enjoying low borrowing costs, Sevenkey achieved an annualized return exceeding 40%, receiving 4.9% of Gallagher's investment income in 2006.

Allegations of Corruption and Bribery

In 2018, U.S. Senators Marco Rubio, Roger Wicker, Lindsey Graham, and Cory Gardner called on the Trump administration to impose sanctions on Usmanov over accusations of corruption and bribery involving Russian officials.

Accusations of Money Laundering

In June 2024, Usmanov initiated legal action against UBS for filing "unsubstantiated reports" concerning his financial dealings, which led to a German money laundering investigation. He alleged that the bank breached confidentiality by providing more than a dozen misleading reports between 2018 and 2022 to German authorities. By November 2024, Usmanov resolved the investigation by paying €4 million in fines and charitable contributions without admitting wrongdoing. His legal representatives stated that after over two-and-a-half years, no evidence substantiating the allegations had been established.

Sanctions Linked to Alleged Putin Associations

Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the European Union blacklisted Usmanov, enforcing an EU-wide travel ban and freezing his assets. The United States imposed comparable sanctions in March 2022, exempting certain companies he controls. The United Kingdom also sanctioned him during that period.

In March 2024, Swedish economist Anders Åslund removed a post on X that identified Usmanov as one of "Putin’s favourite oligarchs" after facing legal challenges; this post had been cited by the EU Council as grounds for sanctions. Usmanov rejected these claims and appealed to the European Court of Justice seeking to annul the sanctions; however, his appeal was dismissed on 7 February 2024. Subsequently, the EU Council amended its terminology, describing him as "a leading businessperson" instead of an "oligarch."

According to the Index, sanctions caused Usmanov's net worth to decline by nearly 25% between February and March 2022. The Official Journal of the European Union characterized him as a "pro-Kremlin oligarch with particularly close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin," noting his role in managing financial flows subject to Putin’s influence. Usmanov has contended that these sanctions were founded on false and defamatory assertions and has filed lawsuits against both the EU Council and Forbes, successfully demonstrating that Forbes published baseless allegations.

Usmanov argues that his visibility and wealth—rather than any direct connections with Putin—led to his targeting by sanctions, portraying himself as unfairly singled out as a "visible symbol."

Efforts to seize assets in Germany amid sanctions

In March 2022, the Cabinet of Germany established a specialized task force comprising the Ministry of Economics and Finance, BaFin, the Federal Criminal Police Office, customs authorities, and the Federal Intelligence Service (BND) to monitor oligarch-related funds and property within Germany.

The Federal Criminal Police Office uncovered connections between Usmanov and 36 offshore entities along with 90 suspicious money laundering reports. Usmanov refuted these accusations, referring to the Russia-Germany double taxation treaty and asserting all taxes had been settled in Russia. He does not hold real estate in Germany directly; instead, ownership was transferred to irrevocable family trusts prior to the imposition of sanctions.

On May 12, 2023, the Frankfurt Land Court annulled search warrants concerning properties associated with Usmanov—such as villas on Lake Tegernsee, an apartment near Frankfurt, additional German holdings, and the Dilbar yacht docked in Bremen—ruling the searches unlawful and dismissing prosecutors' allegations of money laundering. The judges highlighted multiple procedural breaches and described the investigation as "the investigators' disgrace." A subsequent search took place in October 2023. Following a lawyer’s request, on October 26, 2023, the court mandated the return of seized assets.

In August 2023, Usmanov contested personal sanctions before the German Federal Constitutional Court, challenging specific clauses of the German Foreign Trade Act that require sanctioned individuals to self-disclose assets as violations of constitutional protections against self-incrimination. He also disputed searches conducted on the Dilbar yacht, citing infringements on privacy and personal dignity.

Before EU sanctions were applied, Usmanov’s sister Gulbakhor Ismailova was the beneficiary of the trust owning Dilbar; this yacht was subsequently seized in Hamburg. In March 2025, following an agreement with Hungary, Ismailova was removed from the EU sanctions list. Another sister, Saodat Narzieva, had been sanctioned but saw restrictions lifted in September 2022 after investigations found no evidence linking her to multiple Credit Suisse accounts.

In October 2023, Germany’s Central Office for Sanctions Enforcement conducted searches at several properties near Munich and estates around Lake Tegernsee connected to Usmanov, confiscating luxury vehicles and other assets. His spokesperson asserted these assets belonged to a trust over which Usmanov has no control. A German court later affirmed these claims were incorrect and prohibited media outlets from identifying Usmanov as the owner of the villa.

On May 5, 2025, Hamburg’s Regional Court ruled that allegations regarding Usmanov’s ownership of the yacht Dilbar were unfounded and prohibited further dissemination of such claims.

Efforts to remove sanctions

Hungary formally requested in September 2022 that the EU lift sanctions against Usmanov. Subsequently, in November 2022, Uzbekistan also petitioned the EU for sanction removal, arguing that these measures impeded Usmanov’s capacity to invest within Uzbekistan.

Asset seizure in Ukraine

In December 2022, a Ukrainian court ordered seizure of ₴2 billion (approximately US$54 million) worth of USM assets, including 160,000 tonnes of Ukrainian iron ore. Metalloinvest denied ownership of these materials, explaining they were produced by its Russian subsidiaries and have been blocked by Ukrainian authorities since February 2022. Metalloinvest threatened legal proceedings against Ukraine and any potential buyers should confiscation proceed. On September 25, Ukraine's High Anti-Corruption Court upheld this seizure. USM condemned the verdict as unlawful and committed to pursuing international legal remedies.

Personal life

Usmanov, who comes from a Muslim background, wed Irina Viner, a Jewish rhythmic gymnastics coach, in 1992. Viner is said to have close ties with Putin and is credited with introducing him to former gymnast Alina Kabaeva, widely recognized as Putin's mistress.<ref>In May 2022, Usmanov initiated divorce proceedings in the wake of sanctions but retracted the petition by July 2022.<ref>

Although Usmanov does not have biological children, he has a stepson, Anton Viner, from Irina Viner. Anton is involved in real estate investment and co-owns the Rodina development group.<ref><ref>

Private jet

In 2012, Usmanov purchased an Airbus A340, which he named Bourkhan in honor of his father. The acquisition reportedly cost up to $500 million.<ref><ref><ref>

Properties

Usmanov bought Sutton Place, a Grade I listed Tudor mansion located in Surrey, for £10 million in 2004. In 2012, Boris Berezovsky claimed that Sutton Place was part of a business arrangement benefiting Usmanov; however, Usmanov denied these allegations.

In 2008, he acquired Beechwood House, a Grade II listed Regency estate with extensive grounds in London's Highgate area, from Qatari Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani for £48 million. These estates are currently managed through a discretionary irrevocable trust set up by Usmanov. Additionally, he owns a large property in Moscow and a villa on the island of Sardinia.

Yachts

Usmanov is reported to possess three superyachts all named Dilbar in honor of his mother. The initial Dilbar, now known as Luna B, was built by Oceanco and delivered in 2005, with an estimated value of $60 million. The second yacht, constructed by Lürssen in 2008 and currently called Al Raya, cost approximately $250 million and measured 110 meters (361 feet), ranking it as the 38th longest motor yacht worldwide. In 2015, Usmanov commissioned the third Dilbar, which holds the distinction of being the largest yacht globally by gross tonnage at 15,917 gt and the sixth longest at 156 meters (512 feet). Valued at $800 million, this vessel is staffed by an 84-person crew and boasts the largest indoor swimming pool found on any superyacht.

After each new Dilbar was completed, Usmanov renamed and sold the previous yacht: the first was sold in 2010, while the second changed hands in 2018 to a buyer from the Middle East. According to his representatives, ownership of these yachts was transferred to family trusts several years ago.

On March 2, 2022, German authorities confiscated the Dilbar in Hamburg due to sanctions related to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Investigations uncovered that the yacht was owned by a trust with beneficiaries including Usmanov's sister, who is also subject to sanctions. By March 2024, Germany’s Federal Criminal Police Office removed social media content identifying her as the owner; subsequently, in February 2025, Germany’s leading news agency dpa retracted its earlier report linking her to the yacht after acknowledging the information was incorrect.

Philanthropy

In 2021, The Sunday Times recognized Usmanov as the most generous philanthropist on its Rich List, noting that he had contributed over £4.2 billion to charitable causes both personally and through his enterprises over two decades. Russian Forbes honored him as Philanthropist of the Year in 2012.

Usmanov established the "Art, Science and Sport" Charity Fund in 2006, which has supported prominent exhibitions at Tate Britain in London, including those dedicated to J. M. W. Turner in 2008 and the Pre-Raphaelites in 2013.

He holds trustee positions at several institutions: the Russian Geographical Society, Moscow State Institute of International Relations, National Research University Higher School of Economics, and European University at St Petersburg.

In 2015, he contributed €1.5 million towards restoring Rome's Basilica Ulpia. In February 2020, Usmanov acquired Pierre de Coubertin's original Olympic Manifesto from 1892 for $8.8 million and donated it to the Olympic Museum, making it the highest-priced sports artifact ever sold.

During the COVID-19 pandemic years of 2020 and 2021, he spearheaded philanthropic efforts by donating £134.2 million across Russia, Uzbekistan, and Italy according to The Sunday Times Rich List.

In 2007, Usmanov purchased an art collection from cellist Mstislav Rostropovich for more than £20 million and gifted it to the Russian government for exhibition at the Konstantinovsky Palace. Additionally, he acquired a substantial collection of Soviet cartoons which he donated to a Russian children’s television channel.

His accolades include Russia’s Medal of Honor (2004), Kazakhstan’s Order "Dostyk" awarded twice (2011 and 2018), Russia’s Order "For Merit to the Fatherland" IV and III class (2013 and 2018), the Order of Alexander Nevsky (2014), The Decoration "For Beneficence" (2016), Al-Fahr Order recognizing Islamic revival in Russia (2016), and Italy’s Commander Order of Merit (2017) for his contributions to architectural restoration projects.

In 2014, Usmanov purchased Dr. James Watson's Nobel Prize Medal for $4.8 million at auction with the intention of supporting scientific research; he promptly returned it to Watson as a gesture underscoring his dedication to promoting science and honoring exceptional achievements.

See also

• List of Russian billionaires
• Russian oligarchs
• List of people and organizations sanctioned during the Russo-Ukrainian War

External links

• Archived profile – Russian Capitalist Wiki (captured 12 November 2013)
• Overview of Usmanov's assets on Russian Asset Tracker
• Alisher Usmanov’s remarks on the Russia-Ukraine conflict