OREANDA-NEWS. Due to US sanctions, more than $1.5 billion was frozen in the foreign accounts of the founder of the Russian investment company «Renova», Viktor Vekselberg. According to the billionaire, he can use that money only with the permission of the US Treasury, but the department does not give it.

«They were not even allowed to give anything for charity or to fight the pandemic, although it was a relatively small amount — several million, which I wanted to send to help in the fight against the coronavirus in Europe. This was another revelation for me», Vekselberg told Forbes.

The businessman, who occupies the 12th position in the list of the richest businessmen of the Russian Federation, admitted, that the US sanctions were a shock to him, he could not even imagine, that the civilized world can make such decisions «without trial and investigation». At the same time, the billionaire was struck by the reaction of the people around him.

Because of the sanctions, not only the businessman's foreign projects were affected, but also Russian ones. According to him," Renova " provided support to the Bolshoi and Mariinsky theaters, museums and charitable foundations, now their funding had to be stopped.

The United States imposed sanctions against Viktor Vekselberg and the Renova Group of companies in April 2018. They involve a ban on entry to this country and the freezing of assets. In addition, American citizens and foreign contractors are prohibited from cooperating with the businessman.