Russian Billionaire Oleg Tinkov Slams ‘Insane’ Ukraine War
Oleg Tinkov never set out to be a political voice. For most of his life, he was known as a sharp businessman, the man behind one of Russia’s biggest digital banks. But the war in Ukraine pushed him to speak in a way few powerful Russians ever do.
In a message that felt more like a cry of frustration than a statement, Tinkov openly called Russia’s war against Ukraine “insane.” There was no careful wording or diplomatic tone. Instead, his words came across as raw, angry, and deeply emotional, the kind of message someone writes when they can no longer stay silent.
He made one thing very clear: this war makes no sense, and it is destroying lives for no reason.
“I See No Winners in This War”
Tinkov didn’t talk like a politician. He talked like someone watching a tragedy unfold in real time. He said he sees no winners, not Russia, not Ukraine, not the soldiers sent to fight, and certainly not the families left behind.
People are dying, he said. Innocent civilians. Young soldiers who were never given a choice. And the war has exposed something many Russians already knew but rarely say out loud: that the system is broken.
He criticised military leaders and the culture of corruption that, in his view, has hollowed out the country. His words weren’t meant to be insulting for attention; they sounded like disappointment mixed with anger. A man looking at his country and not recognising what it has become.
For Tinkov, this wasn’t about politics or power. It was about wasted lives, wasted futures, and a wasted opportunity to choose peace.
Most Russians Are Not Cheering
One of the most powerful things Tinkov said was that most Russians don’t want this war. He claimed that the vast majority of people are against it, even if they don’t express their opposition publicly. That silence, he suggested, is born out of fear, fear of punishment, fear of losing jobs, fear of putting loved ones at risk. Just because people aren’t protesting doesn’t mean they agree.
He dismissed the loud public displays of support for the invasion as coming from a small minority. Every country has people willing to shout the loudest, he said, but they don’t speak for everyone. By saying this, Tinkov gave voice to millions who feel trapped people who are grieving, confused, and angry, but afraid to speak.
A Plea to End the Killing
Rather than calling for punishment or revenge, Tinkov made a desperate appeal to Western leaders. He asked them to give President Vladimir Putin a way out, a chance to stop the war without total humiliation.
This wasn’t praise or defence. It was realism mixed with desperation. Tinkov seemed to believe that as long as there is no exit, the killing will continue simply to save pride.
His message was simple: stop the massacre. Save lives. Do whatever it takes to end this war before even more people are lost. It was the kind of plea that doesn’t come from strategy, but from exhaustion.
A Man Who Has Lost Almost Everything
Tinkov’s voice carries weight partly because of what he has endured himself. Once worth billions, he has seen his fortune collapse as sanctions and market chaos wiped out the value of his business.
He has been sanctioned by the UK, cutting him off from assets and much of his former life. At the same time, he has been battling a serious illness, undergoing treatment that has left him physically vulnerable and unable to travel.
On top of that, he faced legal troubles in the United States over tax issues, resulting in massive financial penalties. Taken together, these experiences seem to have stripped away any illusion of comfort or security. This is not the voice of a man trying to protect wealth or status. It is the voice of someone who has already lost much and refuses to accept the loss of countless innocent lives as the price of politics.
Speaking Out in a System Built on Silence
In Russia, powerful figures do not speak like this. They don’t criticise the war. They don’t challenge the leadership. They stay quiet.
That’s what makes Tinkov’s message so striking. It may not change the course of the war. It may not influence policy. But it breaks something important, the illusion that everyone with power supports what is happening.
More than anything, his words feel human. They are angry. They are messy. They are emotional. And they come from a place of pain, not performance. In a conflict dominated by propaganda and power games, Oleg Tinkov’s message stands out for one simple reason: it sounds like a person, not a system.
And sometimes, that honesty matters more than anything else.
