I think the overview of what has happened in Russia since 1990 tells it’s own tale. After the dissolution of the USSR, and the crazily rash capitalism turn and privatization that came about, a lot of people scrambled for control over the most profitable National institutions laid out for sale. Noone could win out in that race without considerable contacts, financial flexibility AND military power, and the participants ranged from previous politicians and KGB officials, through young speculants, to organized crime networks. It was like a rogue state becoming mafia run over night. Abramovich, like many others, used network, bribes and financial muscles, and hired in a small army platoon (yes, with actual guns) to secure his purchase. He was close to Yeltsin and had an appartment within Kremlin at a point.
He was involved in the pointing out Putin as successor after Yeltsin. What many of the oligarchs underestimated, was Putin’s willingness and ability, through his connections with establishment and military factions, to partly re-nationalize much of the country’s resources in practice. Oligarchs had two options - sell out or pay protection money more or less. Well, there was the third option, of becoming an enemy of the state, leading to prison and confiscation, or in some cases, assasination.
The oligarchs left after that, have thread a fine line between securing their own interests and keeping Putin happy. Many of them are part of his inner circle. Others have left the country with most of their resources and have several insurance policies in place, while still collaborating with the Russian government. Owning a publicly known football club is one of the insurance policies.
What does that make Abramovich? A corrupt speculant stealing billions from the ordinary Russian citizen, and whose first priority is to secure his own enormous welth by cooperating with anyone he can, particularily including Putin and the governments of the countries where his monies are placed and funnelled through. I guess. It’s not a difficult guess, though.
