The US Treasury Department 's sanctions have had little effect on Russia 's richest oligarchs , as the wealth of the top 24 increased by $ 10bn during H1 2018 . Russia 's richest man , Leonid Mikhelson , added $ 2bn to his $ 19bn fortune ; Lukoil chairman Vagit Alekperov also added $ 2bn to his account balance , while Andrey Melnichenko , majority shareholder of EuroChem insurance company , and Roman Abramovich , owner of every football club in the country , earned an additional $ 1.56bn and $ 1.13bn , respectively . However , the US sanctions are starting to bite for ordinary citizens , who face potential job losses and an infrastructure freeze .
The US Treasury Department's sanctions have had little impact on Russia's richest oligarchs, as the wealth of the top 24 grew by $10bn during H1 2018. Russia's richest man, Leonid Mikhelson, added $2bn to his $19bn fortune; Lukoil chairman Vagit Alekperov also added $2bn to his bank balance, while Andrey Melnichenko, majority owner of EuroChem fertiliser company, and Roman Abramovich, owner of Chelsea football club in the UK, earned an additional $1.56bn and $1.13bn, respectively. However, the US sanctions are starting to bite for ordinary citizens, who face potential job losses and an infrastructure freeze.