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Top Gazprombank Executive Flees Russia to Join Ukraine War

Nomad4Ever

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Igor Volobuev, vice president of state-owned Gazprombank, said he has fled Russia to fight alongside Ukrainian forces, becoming at least the fourth top executive or official known have made an abrupt exit from the country.
“I couldn’t watch from the sidelines what Russia was doing to my homeland,” Volobuev, who was born in the northeastern Ukrainian town of Okhtyrka, said in interviews published late Tuesday.

“The Russians were killing my father, my acquaintances and close friends. My father lived in a cold basement for a month. People I had known since childhood told me they were ashamed of me.”

Volobuev, 50, said he was dismissed after leaving Russia, ending a 33-year career within companies affiliated with state-owned gas giant Gazprom.
What a legend. Another crack in Putin's regime. It takes a lot of bravery to upend your entire life like that. He could have easily looked the other way and lived comfortably for the rest of his life.
 

Rexedgar

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“…..rest of your life…”


Depends how long that is in the current climate in the Motherland.
 

TheParser

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It takes a lot of bravery to upend your entire life like that. He could have easily looked the other way and lived comfortably for the rest of his life.
If this story is true and not Russian disinformation, then -- yes -- he is definitely a hero.

A hero to himself at the very least.

Like most people, I would have kept quiet and tried to keep my head down until the unpleasantness had passed.
 

Mr Person

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Haven't another couple of people either currently or formerly associated with that company just murdered their families and committed suicide, supposedly? I think I'd be fleeing too.
 

Demon

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Oops, I guess the deaths were people connected to the gas industry....
 

MaryP

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Haven't another couple of people either currently or formerly associated with that company just murdered their families and committed suicide, supposedly? I think I'd be fleeing too.
You beat me to it. I think there's something big going on there.
 

MaryP

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Oops, I guess the deaths were people connected to the gas industry....
You were right. One was the former VP of Gazprombank and the other was the former vice president and chief accountant of Novatek, a major gas company with close connections to Gazprombank.
 

MaryP

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If this story is true and not Russian disinformation, then -- yes -- he is definitely a hero.

A hero to himself at the very least.

Like most people, I would have kept quiet and tried to keep my head down until the unpleasantness had passed.
Blood is thicker than water. It was his hometown and his family, including his Dad.
 

joluoto

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'I want to wash myself clean of my Russian past' The Gazprombank executive who left Russia to fight alongside Ukrainians


“I couldn’t stay there any longer. I’m a Ukrainian by nationality; I couldn’t just sit on the sidelines and watch as Russia did this to my homeland. My return is like a repentance — I want to wash myself clean of my Russian past. I want to stay in Ukraine until the victory. I can’t live a full, satisfying life while they kill my father, who lives in Okhtyrka; my loved ones; my friends; and my neighbors,"


Strong words.
 

Rogue Valley

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Kudos. Gotta respect his courage.
 
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