August 2, 2023 - 3:15pm
For weeks, the news cycle has been dominated by the “debanking” of Nigel Farage and its fallout. After the former Ukip and Brexit Party leader revealed that his bank accounts had been closed against his wishes, NatWest CEO Alison Rose stepped down from her position and other figures from across the political spectrum claimed that they, too, had received the debanking treatment.
Among them is the businesswoman Countess Alexandra Tolstoy, who spoke out earlier this month following the closure of her NatWest account, supposedly because of her status as a PEP (politically exposed person).
Tolstoy, a relative of the great novelist Leo, has questioned whether her Russian roots affected the bank’s decision. Another consideration is her relationship with Sergei Pugachev, an oligarch once close to Putin who is now in exile.
Speaking to UnHerd’s Freddie Sayers, Tolstoy explained that by carrying out an SAR (subject access request), she discovered her status as a PEP was based on Daily Mail articles stating she lived in Monaco and was married to Pugachev. Really, neither fact is true. “I do not live in Monaco,” she said. “And I am not married and never was married to a Russian oligarch.”
On further communication with NatWest, the bank claimed to have never classified Tolstoy as a PEP, and she remains “in this ridiculous situation” in which she still doesn’t know the reason for her account’s closure.
Many Russian expats living in the UK are apparently in a similar position.“It is really tough for a lot of Russians,” she said, “because they’re really against the war.” As an example she referred to Evgeny Chichvarkin, a London-based Russian restaurateur who, even as an “extremely vocal opponent of Putin”, has had his accounts shut down.
During the UnHerd interview, Tolstoy expanded on her family’s history. “My grandfather fled the Bolshevik Revolution because he was going to be killed,” she noted, making clear that “he hated” Russia, as “it was the country that killed most of his relatives.” Nevertheless, through her father’s interest in his heritage she was exposed to Russian history and literature, and “completely fell in love” with the country when she first visited in 1992.
Besides the War and Peace author, there are several prominent members of the Tolstoy clan. Alexandra described Vladimir Tolstoy, Putin’s chief cultural advisor, as “very nice”, while Fyokla Tolstaya, a Russian TV presenter, as “incredibly brave” for speaking out against the Ukraine war. Meanwhile, Pyotr Tolstoy, the Deputy Chairman of the State Duma, is “crazy”, according to Alexandra, who said, “I’m really against him. He’s a complete phoney.”
When speaking about Russia’s oligarchs — including her former partner Pugachev, as well as Putin — Tolstoy explained that it was “like Narcos”. Unlike the “creative and exciting” Moscow intelligentsia she knew before meeting Pugachev, she described the oligarchs not “obeying any kind of law” and acting as though they were in “kindergarten” when it came to decision-making. The countess stated that Pugachev is a “very controlling and frightening person”, who “tried to abduct [their three] children” and held her “hostage”.
Although he has been in legal trouble with both the Russian and UK governments, according to Tolstoy, his bank accounts are “completely functioning”, and he lives “an extremely rich and opulent life in the south of France”.
Regarding the war, Tolstoy stressed she has been “very publicly open that [she’s] obviously deeply against what Russia is doing”. She believes that the UK is “absolutely right to support Ukraine”, and does not plan on returning to Russia before the war’s end. Yet she refuses to “downplay” her Russian heritage: “I feel really proud and I speak Russian most days; I read Russian every day.”
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SubscribeSo many now seem to have entered the world that Kafka envisaged. The faceless bureaucrats that never provide a satisfactory answer and don’t respond to any attempt to clear your name. Both woke cancellation and the whole panoply of money laundering regulations with their concomitant omertà have come not from clearly authoritarian regimes but from the supposedly democratic United States. Even the concept of liberalism has been subverted so that’s modern Liberal is far from classical liberalism.
Gogol made the same points much earlier.
Gogol made the same points much earlier.
So many now seem to have entered the world that Kafka envisaged. The faceless bureaucrats that never provide a satisfactory answer and don’t respond to any attempt to clear your name. Both woke cancellation and the whole panoply of money laundering regulations with their concomitant omertà have come not from clearly authoritarian regimes but from the supposedly democratic United States. Even the concept of liberalism has been subverted so that’s modern Liberal is far from classical liberalism.
What? She treats people as individuals, not members of groups (‘descendants of Tolstoy’)? How old-fashioned (sic) of her!
What? She treats people as individuals, not members of groups (‘descendants of Tolstoy’)? How old-fashioned (sic) of her!
Very disgraceful if true.
Even if she had pro-Kremlin views, that should not affect things like bank accounts. Oligarchs are a fair target, since their money comes from corrupt practices in Russia, and we may need their cash to help rebuild Ukraine.
I can still understand why Ukrainians are so upset with all Russians. The Russian empire is a regrettable fact. But Ukrainians also need to realize that this war won’t last forever, and, wherever the border is drawn, Russia–and Russians–will be on the other side.
Very disgraceful if true.
Even if she had pro-Kremlin views, that should not affect things like bank accounts. Oligarchs are a fair target, since their money comes from corrupt practices in Russia, and we may need their cash to help rebuild Ukraine.
I can still understand why Ukrainians are so upset with all Russians. The Russian empire is a regrettable fact. But Ukrainians also need to realize that this war won’t last forever, and, wherever the border is drawn, Russia–and Russians–will be on the other side.
For some reason my comment seems to have vanished into the Unherd oubliette. Let me add another. She surely has not been debanked for being Russian as she is English. Her name and family history may be Russian and she has lived in Russia but she is English and we are not at war with Russia.
For some reason my comment seems to have vanished into the Unherd oubliette. Let me add another. She surely has not been debanked for being Russian as she is English. Her name and family history may be Russian and she has lived in Russia but she is English and we are not at war with Russia.
Very interesting. Thanks.
Very interesting. Thanks.
Another splendid interview by Freddie. What an asset the man is for Unherd.
Another splendid interview by Freddie. What an asset the man is for Unherd.
Just why are the banks doing this? Because ESG among the administrators? Because of government legislation that makes them want to distance themselves from controversy? There’s something going on under the blankets that I don’t get.
Dig deeper. Do some journalism.
Just why are the banks doing this? Because ESG among the administrators? Because of government legislation that makes them want to distance themselves from controversy? There’s something going on under the blankets that I don’t get.
Dig deeper. Do some journalism.
I watched this last night and found it interesting, inasmuch as I could wade past her accent. On a frivolous note, I do wonder where she got her jersey.
What was wrong with her accent?
She speaks too quickly.
Very posh, but speaks too quickly and bites off the end of her sentences.
She speaks too quickly.
Very posh, but speaks too quickly and bites off the end of her sentences.
What was wrong with her accent?
I watched this last night and found it interesting, inasmuch as I could wade past her accent. On a frivolous note, I do wonder where she got her jersey.
The debanking (for non-banking reasons) is ludicrous, of course, no matter what her politics. I was curious about trying to reconcile these two quotes from her in this article:
“Daily Mail articles stating she lived in Monaco and was married to Pugachev. Really, neither fact is true. “I do not live in Monaco,” she said. “And I am not married and never was married to a Russian oligarch.””
“When speaking about Russia’s oligarchs — including her former partner Pugachev, … Tolstoy explained that it was “like Narcos”. Unlike the “creative and exciting” Moscow intelligentsia she knew before meeting Pugachev, …. The countess stated that Pugachev … “tried to abduct [their three] children” and held her “hostage”. ”
The ellipsis are mine to make the seeming contradiction more plain. I’m guessing Pugachev is, in fact, a Russian oligarch with whom she lived with long enough to have three children by him. Not technically married, perhaps, but saying neither “fact” is true seems like a dodge to me.
I wonder whether, to avoid any misgivings in relation to Tolstoy’s name. the readers should not have been properly introduced to the background of Mr Pugachov, the oligarch exiled in France who used to be very close to Putin though later turned into his adversary.
Any debanking may only be related to the fact that he is the father of Ms Tolstoy’s children and certainly supports them.
How exactly do you know he supports the children? Evidence please.
How exactly do you know he supports the children? Evidence please.
I wonder whether, to avoid any misgivings in relation to Tolstoy’s name. the readers should not have been properly introduced to the background of Mr Pugachov, the oligarch exiled in France who used to be very close to Putin though later turned into his adversary.
Any debanking may only be related to the fact that he is the father of Ms Tolstoy’s children and certainly supports them.
as a Russian, I am amused at seeing how easily this sort of confusion may play into “Russians are victims” rhetoric.
as a Russian, I am amused at seeing how easily this sort of confusion may play into “Russians are victims” rhetoric.