Vladimir Putin could be the richest man alive as none of the wealth belonging to Russia's oligarchs and Kremlin insiders is off-limits, an academic has suggested.Forbes has been attempting to uncover the truth about Putin's wealth for 20 years.
In a report published in 2022, the magazine suggested that his fortune could have been as much as $200 billion back in 2017, reports the Express.However, as speculation continues to swirl around the Russian leader's wealth, Tom Mayne, a research fellow at the University of Exeter who co-authored a Chatham House report on kleptocracy, has offered his thoughts.Mayne stated that it remains "impossible to answer" the question of Putin's wealth definitively.
However, he hinted that the actual figure could be higher than previously thought due to the blurred lines between public and private wealth in Russia.
He explained: "In a kleptocracy (which Russia undoubtedly is), potentially ALL the wealth of the oligarchs and Kremlin insiders is available for Putin/Russia's use.
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