Yuri Kovalchuk



Yury Valentinovich Kovalchuk (born 25 July 1951) is a Russian billionaire businessman and financier who is "reputed to be Vladimir Putin's personal banker".

Throughout the 1990s Yuri Kovalchuck was a good friend of Vladimir Putin, who was then deputy mayor of St. Petersburg. They both had country houses in the Ozero dacha cooperative, and when Putin became president of Russia, many of the cooperative's members' careers improved. After US sanctions against Rossiya Bank, Putin opened salary account in his bank. According to media reports, Putin's daughter Katerina Tikhonova got married at Kovalchuk's ski resort in 2013.

The May 2008 issue of Russian Forbes listed him for the first time in its Golden Hundred of Russia's richest, calling him and another new entrant to the List, Gennady Timchenko, "good acquaintances of Vladimir Putin." The magazine placed him at number 53 on the Russians-only list, with an estimated fortune of $1.9 billion.
 

The Kremlin mafia's common fund is filling up in Vienna

Business●21.03.2024

The company of “Putin’s friends” easily earns billions of euros from Austria.

Kabaeva fattens in the "National Media Group"

Society●01.04.2021

The former athlete earns almost 1 million rubles a day in the holding of a friend of Putin.

Kovalchuk opened his mouth on Channel One

Business●23.12.2020

The President signed a decree allowing the government to reduce its stake in Channel One below 51%. Control can be obtained by private shareholders, the largest of which is Yuri Kovalchuk's National Media Group.

Rotenberg moored to the Crimean cottage Matvienko

Society●17.06.2020

In the luxurious residence on Cape Aya, which is associated with Yuri Kovalchuk and Valentina Matvienko, a berth for hundred-meter yachts appeared. And off the coast of Crimea for the first time was seen the yacht Rahil, attributed to Arkady Rotenberg.

Arkady Rotenberg, Yuri Kovalchuk and Nikolai Shamalov: Crimea is theirs

Business●28.01.2019

How Crimea became a profitable business for Putin’s friends.

Bank of Kovalchuk's and Timchenko's covet the Crimean "Inkerman"

Business●01.11.2018

"Daughter" of the bank "Russia" may become the new owner of the Crimean wine producer "Inkerman". The purchase may be the second transaction of the bank in the Crimean winemaking: last year he bought out “New World”.

Kurchatov Institute will build an industrial park for the Defense Ministry

Business●28.09.2018

For the institute this project can become the first in a series of contracts of public-private partnership.

Kovalchuk and the Rotenbergs are admitted into the state budget

Business●01.11.2017

SMP Bank and Rossiya Bank, which are under sanctions, will be able to work with state-owned companies and the budget.

Whose protection are Rotenberg and Kovalchuk looking for?

Business●19.06.2017

A distant relative of the president together with the contractor of Russian Railways and the shareholder of the Bank of Russia want to build a racing track near St. Petersburg worth 11 billion rubles.

Sanctions for President

Business●23.12.2016

President of the National Media Group, Kirill Kovalchuk, came under US sanctions. However, it shouldn't affect his partnership with the American holding Discovery and Turner.

Sealed book of Igor Sechin

Business●25.10.2016

The people and government of Russia cannot do anything with Rosneftegaz. 

Oligarch Yury Kovalchuk cohabited with his partner

Society●16.09.2016

The owner of Russia Bank, Yuri Kovalchuk, and asset manager of the bank Dmitry Mansurov "settled" in the same apartment.

Simferopol Airport came under the control of Kovalchuk and his partner

Business●29.08.2016

Crimean authorities handed over control of the airport of Simferopol to Russia Bank owned by Yuri Kovalchuk and his partner. Private investors will be able to qualify for airport revenues only when finish building a new terminal, a local official said.

RBC investigation: who settled near the presidential residence in Valdai

Society●14.07.2016

Many people from the Putin's antuourage have settled next to the state residence on Lake Valdai in recent years. RBC found out who owns the land in Valdai and who neighbours the President there.

Hothouse conditions of Yuri Kovalchuk: Russia Bank is attracted by agriculture

Business●12.04.2016

Co-owners of the Agro-Culture Group complex received loans.

Another millionaire friend of Vladimir Putin was found

Governance●04.04.2016

Companies belonging to the godfather of the Russian president's daughter, Sergey Roldugin, owned a 20% stake in Celler Vi.

Hitting the inner circle: how Putin's friends suffered from sanctions

Business●22.03.2016

On March 20, 2014 the US government first imposed personal sanctions against Russian businessmen and top managers of state-owned companies from the Russian President Vladimir Putin's entourage.

Toll roads in Russia are the most expensive in Europe

Business●14.12.2015

The maximum rate in Russia is 25 rubles/km, while in Italy in comparable road sections it is twice lower.

Gymnastics of Channel One: sanctions intefered with the launch of a show with Alina Kabaeva

Society●08.10.2015

BBC Worldwide has refused to sell a license for Tumble show to the companies co-owned by Arkady Rotenberg and Yuri Kovalchuk.

Russia Bank and SMP Bank have $637 million blocked in the United States

Business●11.03.2015

Among the shareholders of these banks are the members of Putin's inner circle, reminds the WSJ.

The founder of STS is the main contender for the purchase of Vedomosti

Business●19.10.2014

Peter Hervey may soon acquire the assets of Sanoma Independent Media publishing house for resale to Gazprom-Media Holding or the National Media Group.

Alina Kabaeva high jumped

Society●15.09.2014

She will head the board of the National Media Group.