Russian businessman in prison for embezzling over $240 million announces plans to go to war in Ukraine

Belarus-born Russian businessman and former owner of Yugra Bank, Alexey Khotin, who was sentenced in March 2024 to nine years in prison for embezzling 23.6 billion rubles (over $240 million), announced plans to “join the special military operation,” Kommersant reports.

At an appeal hearing, Khotin pointed out that Russia’s current legislation allows him to go to war and asked the Moscow City Court to help expedite the process. He also requested that, if denied deployment, the court either overturn his conviction and send the case for retrial or reduce his sentence.

Investigators allege that between 2014 and 2017, Khotin and other defendants embezzled 23.6 billion rubles from Yugra Bank by issuing knowingly unrecoverable loans to three companies under his control. Khotin maintains his innocence.