The big spenders from Russia have lost £136bn on stock markets

David Robertson, Business Correspondent Russia’s richest men have lost an estimated $230 billion (£136 billion) as stock markets around the world have gone into meltdown. The country’s elite including Roman Abramovich, the owner of Chelsea Football Club, have lost billions in the financial crisis. Bloomberg, the financial news service, estimated yesterday that Mr Abramovich alone had lost more than $20 billion. Other big losers include Oleg Deripaska, who has been described as Russia’s richest man with, at one point, a fortune of $28 billion. The sudden reduction in the wealth of the oligarchs could have an impact on London, which has become a home away from home for many of the billionaires. A large number including Mr Deripaska and Mr Abramovich have multi-million pound properties in London and the surrounding counties.... [read full story]