Russian billionaires lose about $40 bln in a day

Russia’s richest persons lost fortunes on Thursday squeezed by Russia’s attack on Ukraine which resulted in stock market fall.

Benchmark MOEX Russia Index closed 45% lower in Moscow, the fifth-worst plunge in stock market history in local currency terms, which also marked the worst losses since 1987’s Black Monday crash.

Russian president Vladimir Putin announced a decision of what he has called “a special military operation” eastern Ukraine. Soon after the attack started, Russian billionaires lost $38.162 billion, Sputnik reported.

The biggest loser of Russian billionaires yesterday was Vagit Alekperov, the chairman of Lukoil, whose net wealth shrank by over $5 billion.

Putin has said that Russian economy will still be a part of world economy and Moscow will not cause damage for it, adding that his government has taken precautionary measures against western sanctions.