Russia's Lukoil breaks ranks by telling Putin to end war in Ukraine

Russia’s second-largest oil company calls for “immediate cessation of the armed conflict”


Russia’s second-largest oil company has urged Vladimir Putin to end his invasion of Ukraine in a sign of hardening resistance against the conflict among influential oligarchs.

Lukoil, led by billionaire founder Vagit Alekperov, called for an “immediate cessation of the armed conflict” and expressed concern over the “tragic events” as domestic pressure on the Kremlin mounts.

It is one of the first critical statements on the invasion from a major company inside Russia as waves of western sanctions wreak havoc for its economy.

The crisis has wiped billions off the fortune of Mr Alekperov with Lukoil adding to a growing chorus of discontent among Russian oligarchs, including inside Mr Putin’s inner business circle.

Lukoil said: “We stand for the immediate cessation of the armed conflict and fully support its resolution through the negotiation process and through diplomatic means.”

The company “expresses its concern over the ongoing tragic events in Ukraine and its deepest sympathy to all those affected by this tragedy”.

Shares in Lukoil had fallen sharply before trading on Moscow’s stock market was suspended indefinitely on Monday.


The company has thousands of petrol stations including some in the United States. On Wednesday Newark, the largest city in New Jersey, passed a resolution suspending the business licence for Lukoil sites following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Lukoil's statement about the invasion follows interventions from two of Russia’s richest men, Mikhail Fridman and Putin ally Oleg Deripaska.

Mr Fridman, the co-founder of Alfa-Bank, one of the country’s largest lenders, said the invasion was a “tragedy” for both Ukranians and Russians, adding that “war can never be the answer”.

Mr Deripaska, the founder of aluminium giant Rusal, said “negotiations must start as soon as possible”, saying “peace is the priority”.


The criticism of the invasion from Russian oligarchs comes as many of them have their assets frozen by the West under sanctions slapped on Moscow. The UK is considering seizing properties owned by oligarchs with ties to Mr Putin as it ups the pressure on the Kremlin.

The decision to invade Ukraine has wreaked havoc on Russia’s economy. On Wednesday night S&P lowered its sovereign debt deeper into junk territory, with a ‘CCC-‘ rating and a warning that the country will not be able to pay its debts.

The ratings agency estimated that international sanctions have halved the Kremlin's available foreign exchange reserves, while its banking system has been left with extremely limited access to global financial structures.


https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2022/03/03/russias-lukoil-breaks-ranks-telling-putin-end-war-ukraine/?utm_content=world%20news&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=Echobox&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1646389063-2

NGpatriot:
The Olighacks are the obvious collateral damages, their businesses lost valuable value already, their wealth is under sanctions, they can not get to their luxury mansions all over the world, their yacht are already impounded.

Normally people don't go after Putin or call him out in any way and when they do, they end up getting killed or poisoned, but this is a different ballgame, the Olighacks are speaking up in defiance.


Put-in don buy rotten market...

jcross19:
the last time I check the news was coming from UK media, and will know how fake they are!!!. Now last 3 days ago was that their stocks wiped off , they discovered that the propaganda didn't move the man..... Let the west continue with lies and the show continue.....

NGpatriot:



Shallow, ignorant, and unintelligent rubbish..

jcross19:
the last time I check the news was coming from UK media, and will know how fake they are!!!. Now last 3 days ago was that their stocks wiped off , they discovered that the propaganda didn't move the man..... Let the west continue with lies and the show continue.....

sagitariusbaby:
His nairaland war veterans said he should continue and wipe out Ukraine thinking they are wise. I just realised Africa is like this because of our love for strong lawless "dictators" in power, we praise the oppressors and chide the oppressed. A whole lot of them are shamelessly blaming Ukraine for everything while praising Putin the strongman because of their hate for the West.
We surely deserve the kind of leaders that we have, because there is no difference between we and our leaders.

NGpatriot:



Shallow, ignorant, and unintelligent rubbish..

NGpatriot:

jcross19:
you are the shallow , ingorant, unintelligent rubbish and buffoonery psycho!!! To be posting trash as news...

jcross19:
ahahahahhhhhhhh can you see? Have you posted the one CNN that posted about Russian soldiers crying and surrendering their weapons ? Have you ? Zomb!!!

madridguy:
One need to verify this news from other sources not from UK propagandist.

jcross19:
the last time I check the news was coming from UK media, and will know how fake they are!!!. Now last 3 days ago was that their stocks wiped off , they discovered that the propaganda didn't move the man..... Let the west continue with lies and the show continue.....

christistruth01:



UK is the Russian Oligarchs 2nd home

Rostikol:
[s]

Shut up. Small boy. You don't even know the long and short of what you're supporting. All you know is that you feel inferior to oyinbo. CNN has brainwashed your head. Your beloved ''west'' is responsible for thousands of invasions of regions, countries, and territories, across the world, killing billions of people including your own ancestors. Russia has never tried to enslave or colonise you or connive with your leaders to steal your resources. Instead, they funded liberation movements across Africa in the 1960s right up to the 80s. When the west dismissed Mandela and the ANC as 'terrorists', Russia did the opposite and funded them.

But no, They are your problem today because they reacted to the west's NATO adventurism, as that group continues to build military bases surrounding Russia. Ukraine was the final straw. Russia will NOT accept NATO and US military bases on their doorstep, at their borders, just as the USA threatened nuclear war after President Khruschev of the Soviet Union tried to build a military alliance with Cuba, next door to Florida, making Khrushev withdraw.

Oh but now Putin is the 'evil monster' for doing the exact same thing the US would have done.

That is western media brainwashing of your dull head.

The Ukrainians you are crying about are racist to the core, and would throw you off the train if you tried to flee with them, like they did to black students there.

Mr supporter.

[/s]