Politician Ilya Yashin, who was sentenced to 8.5 years in prison in the case of “fake news” about the army, commented on publications that he had written personal letters asking him to lift sanctions against Alfa Group co-owner Mikhail Fridman. This will be reported on Yashin's telegram channel.
“I did not sign collective letters in defense of persons who fell under Western sanctions. But I spoke out in support of Mikhail Fridman, whom I have known for many years. I believe that I acted decently as a human being and reasonably politically,” the oppositionist wrote.
He added that Fridman was a close friend of Boris Nemtsov and helped him in «difficult moments.» In addition, Yashin writes, he knows how Fridman, who was born in Ukrainian Lvov, feels about the war.
“It is clear that Friedman is not a saint: there are no saints in big business. But I don't consider him a villain, a thief, much less a warmonger. Putting his name on the sanctions lists on a par with the odious Putin oligarchs does not seem fair to me, ”the politician added.
The “Friedman precedent”, according to Yashin, could become an example for Russian business: “Do you want a chance for an amnesty? Do not help Putin, and make efforts to stop the military aggression. In my opinion, this approach can give a good result.”
On March 14, The Financial Times published information that Yashin twice appealed to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen with a request to lift sanctions against Friedman. For the first time, the oppositionist sent a letter to the official shortly before his arrest in a criminal case, and for the second time, while already in a pre-trial detention center, in February 2023. Earlier, the fact that Yashin spoke in support of Fridman was reported by Bloomberg and journalist Sergei Parkhomenko.