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Russia's billionaires represent a fortune of $282 billion this year, Forbes estimates, as against $172.1 billion last year. With this figure, the Russians are now worth more than Germany's billionaires, who have a combined wealth of $245 billion, Forbes said in a statement late Thursday.
Chelsea Football Club owner and Chukotka Governor Roman Abramovich again led the Russians on the list, boosting his fortune from $18.2 billion in 2006 to $18.7 billion this year, but his ranking this year slipped five places to No. 16.
Oleg Deripaska, who last month topped Finans magazine's list of Russian billionaires, just ahead of Abramovich, trails behind him at No. 40 in the Forbes global list, with a fortune estimated at $13.3 billion. Deripaska is 40th on the Forbes 2007 list, up from No. 62 with $7.8 billion last year.
Vagit Alekperov, president of Russia's largest oil company, LUKoil, was placed No. 48 on this year's Forbes list, with an estimated fortune of $12.4 billion. While increasing his fortune from $11 billion last year, he fell three places in the rankings.
Vladimir Lisin, who controls steelmaker NLMK, ended ahead of Deripaska at No. 36 with $14.3 billion, up from No. 41 and $10.7 billion in 2006.
Russian metals moguls such as Lisin fare particularly well in this Forbes list, with many of the leading Russians having large metals assets.
Abramovich holds over 40 percent of shares in steel and mining company Evraz, in which Alexander Abramov at No. 137, with $5.6 billion, and Alexander Frolov at No. 390, with $2.4 billion, also hold shares.
Deripaska controls RusAl, which is finalizing its merger with Viktor Vekselberg's SUAL and the aluminum assets of Swiss-registered Glencore into United Company RusAl, the world's largest aluminum company, which will be 66 percent-owned by Deripaska and 22 percent-owned by Vekselberg. Vekselberg is No. 61 on the Forbes list, with $12.4 billion.
Vladimir Potanin and Mikhail Prokhorov are tied at 38 with $13.5 billion. Potanin will control Norilsk Nickel and Prokhorov Polyus Gold when they complete the division of their assets under a recent agreement.
Alexei Mordashov (No. 54 with $11.2 billion) controls Severstal and Alisher Usmanov (No. 142 with $5.5 billion) controls Metalloinvest, which is reported to be in talks on a merger with Ukraine's second-largest steelmaker, Industrial Union of Donbass.
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