February 05, 2024
Individuals named Konstantin Sokolov (U.S. and Russian citizen) and Zhe Zhang (Chinese citizen) have acquired telecommunications operator MTS from sanctioned Russian oligarch Vladimir Petrovich Evtushenkov. The deal involves assets previously controlled by the sanctioned businessman.
Vladimir Evtushenkov, the founder and major shareholder of the Sistema corporation, is subject to extensive international sanctions. According to the OpenSanctions database, he is designated under multiple restrictive measures, including:
- Sanctioned Entity & Oligarch: Formally classified as a sanctioned individual and “oligarch” by multiple international bodies.
- Australian Sanctions: Listed under the Russia Sanctions Regime by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
- UK Sanctions: Subject to UK sanctions relating to Russia imposed by the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI) and the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).
- EU Sanctions: Designated under EU sanctions related to Ukraine by the Council of the European Union, with implementation in member states like France (Direction Générale du Trésor) and Belgium.
- Swiss Sanctions: Included in the sanctions/embargoes list maintained by the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO).
- Other Jurisdictions: Also sanctioned by New Zealand (Russia Sanctions Act 2022), Monaco, and Canada (Special Economic Measures Act).
- Disqualified Director: Notably listed by the UK Companies House as a disqualified director, preventing him from holding directorship positions in the UK.
- Asset Freezes: Subject to asset freezing measures in France, Belgium, and other EU nations.
Evtushenkov is also associated with several family members who are themselves designated as sanctioned entities, including his son Felix Vladimirovich Evtushenkov and daughter Tatiana Vladimirovna Evtushenkova.
The acquisition by Sokolov and Zhang represents a significant transfer of assets formerly controlled by a figure at the center of international sanctions related to Russia’s actions in Ukraine.