The former top manager of Vnesheconombank may lose his Lithuanian citizenship

On Friday, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Lithuania will consider the issue of revocation of citizenship of businessman Yuriy Kudymov. The department believes that Kudymov provided false information when obtaining citizenship — in particular, he hid the fact that he was a KGB employee in Soviet times — and also that he carries out financial activities in the interests of Russian companies. His activity can be regarded as incompatible with the national interests of Lithuania, – the statement of the Department of Migration quotes the edition of Delfi.

The issue of Kudymov’s Lithuanian citizenship being revoked was raised in August of last year, when the Minister of Internal Affairs, Agne Bilotaite, addressed the corresponding request to the country’s president Gitanas Nauseda. She stated that Kudymov closely cooperates with the Russian regime and special services, discredits the name of Lithuania and creates a threat to the security interests of the republic.

In Soviet times, Yuri Kudymov lived in London and, according to legend, was a correspondent for Komsomolskaya Pravda, but in 1985 Margaret Thatcher’s government expelled him from the country on charges of espionage. In the 1990s, Kudymov worked as a journalist in the magazine “Novoe Vremya” in Mexico, presumably while simultaneously fulfilling the tasks of the KGB.

Subsequently, Kudymov held high positions in Russian financial companies, such as the National Reserve Bank and VEB Capital. Forbes magazine wrote that Kudymov, through his fund Pangeo Capital, manages the assets of major Russian businessmen, for example, billionaire Igor Makarov.

It was also mentioned that through Kudymov’s funds, the Kremlin conducts political activities to support supporters abroad. British journalist Luke Harding reported in 2014 that through Kudymov, the Kremlin sponsored the election campaign of the French “National Front” Marine Le Pen (after some time, Kudymov managed to have the mention of him deleted from Harding’s article in the Guardian).

The State Security Department of Lithuania believes that Kudymov still maintains ties with influential people in Russia, connected to the Russian special services. Ego position is not reported by Delfi.