Russian banking executives are just like us: They, too, like to pretend to be wizards from “Harry Potter” every once in a while.
Officials at Russia’s state-backed VTB bank did just that this week, putting on a truly bewitching cosplay performance of J.K. Rowling’s beloved book series at the “Russia Calls!” investment forum, the RBC news website reported.
VTB head Andrei Kostin donned his finest wizard robes to play “Andrei Dumbledovich,” the head of Hogwarts City, while VTB executives Yuri Soloviev, Alexei Yakovitsky and Elena Kolesnik were cast as Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger.
The costumed characters sought to defeat “Lord Dollar-de-Mort,” an evil foe who wants to “conquer the planet” — not to be confused with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named himself.
“I remember he cost just 6 rubles when he was very young,” Harry says at one point.
“We will fight him back!” Dumbledovich says, rallying his pupils to defeat the evil currency.
The story’s three heroes are members of House Vetebor (a portmanteau of VTB and Gryffindor). The other Hogwarts “houses” follow a similar naming pattern: Sberebin (Sberbank and Slytherin), Alfenbach (Alfa and Ravenclaw), and Tinkomif (Tinkoff and Hufflepuff).
This isn’t the first time Kostin has taken a thespian turn at the investment forum. In 2017, the VTB chief greeted investors in a Stalin costume, and in 2018 he became “Star Wars” hero Obi-Wan Kenobi to warn investors about the risks of space and the Death Star’s attempts to “intimidate the Republic with sanctions.”
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
