The wealth of the 18 richest Russians included in Bloomberg Billionaires Index shrunk from June 1 to September 1, 2026 by $41.77 billion. Since the beginning of the year, the balance sheet has been minus 19.77 billion. This is simply a strong adjustment to the valuation of assets related to Russian business, although it does not mean the failure of specified an amount in cash.
From June highest to deep decline
Data compiled by Bankier.pl show a fast reversal of the trend in the wealth of Russian billionaires. On June 1, 2026, the full asset valuation of 18 Russians present at Bloomberg Billionaires Index was nearly $22 billion higher than in the beginning of the year. A period later, the balance sheet fell to minus $1.93 billion, and on September 1, it was already minus $19.77 billion.
The difference between the June summit and early September reached precisely $41.77 billion. In July and August alone, the value of assets decreased by around 18 billion. These 2 ways of counting describe different periods, so they must not be mixed: 19.77 billion is simply a failure from 1 January, while 41.77 billion shows the scale of withdrawal from 1 June.
Bloomberg Billionaires Index is the regular ranking of the richest people in the world. Valuation depends, inter alia, on the rates of shares of the companies in which they hold shares. Thus, a decline in quotes can in 1 day severely deplete the assets counted by the index, and a subsequent rebound can make up for part of this loss. This is not a evidence of bank transfers or information that billionaires spent $41.77 billion.
Prochorov lost the most
The largest decrease since the beginning of 2026 was recorded by Mikhail Prochorov. According to the figures cited by TASS, his assets decreased by $6.45 billion to 10.1 billion. Vladimir Potanin lost 3.73 billion and remained with a valuation of 22.7 billion, and Aliszer Usmanow 2.92 billion, which lowered the estimated value of his luck to $16.3 billion. Paul Durov's property shrank by 2.56 billion, to 11.8 billion.
Not all of them got caught. Alexey Mordasov has gained $1.43 billion since the beginning of the year and reached $27.7 billion. Giennadi Timchenko increased the valuation by 853 million, Leonid Michelson by 460 million, Dmitri Rybolovlev by 319 million, and Iskander Machmudow by 198 million dollars. The data thus shows a strong slowdown of the full group, but the situation of individual entrepreneurs remains diverse.
Russian capital remains dependent on state and natural materials
The decline in valuation does not automatically mean the collapse of the Russian economy. However, it is simply a clear signal that large fortunes are not isolated from the condition of companies, the natural materials market, the banking sector and the Kremlin's decisions. A model in which access to wealth has been linked to state relations for years gives privileges during growth, but increases political risks during periods of pressure.
For Poland this is no reason to be complacency. Economically weakened Russia does not request to have a milder policy. The Kremlin may effort to cover the problems with external pressure, hybrid action and military blackmail. Therefore, news about Russian elite money must be read together with information about how Russia may test the credibility of Article 5 of NATO and how European countries respond to the actions attributed to Moscow, including attempt to attack infrastructure in Leipzig.
Poland needs a cool bill
A drop of $41.77 billion looks good in the headline, but Polish politics cannot trust on the anticipation that Russia itself will lose economically. Our task is to reduce vulnerability to Russian natural materials, to defend infrastructure and to build our own manufacture and capital. Sanctions make sense erstwhile they are enforced and do not make easy channels of circumvention by 3rd countries.
The richest Russians experienced a massive adjustment in the summer. However, the stakes for Poland are not their private rankings, but how much resources the Russian state can inactive devote to the army, political force and hybrid operations. National realism orders to look at these possibilities without triumphalism.
Source: Bankier.pl, TASS
Source: Bankier.pl
