According to the “Standard” in Ukraine, Raiffeisen Bank International (RBI) is coming under increasing pressure. Board chairman Johann Strobl and another board member, Andreas Gschwenter, were placed on a list of people recommended for sanctions in Kiev. In addition to the sanctions recommendations, the RBI is also currently accused of granting loan deferrals to Russian soldiers. According to the financial institution, you are legally obliged to do so.
The list, called “War and Sanctions”, is endorsed by the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NAZK) of Ukraine and aims to exert international pressure on certain individuals and companies identified or suspected of being killed by Kiev. believed to be related to the Russian war of aggression. they will support the Russian regime.
No public statement from Raiffeisen
The website does not provide a specific explanation for the recommendation to sanction Strobl and the other manager, but explains that they are senior figures in institutions that fund actions that undermine the security, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine. The RBI spokeswoman declined to comment on the sanctions recommendation list when asked.
RBI in Russia has long been the group’s cash cow
According to the annual report, RBI had more than 9,000 employees in Russia at the end of 2021. According to ‘Standard’, the bank is one of the ten largest credit institutions in the country. The Russian subsidiary RBI was for many years the cash cow of the Viennese banking group and contributed a large part of the profit. With the start of the Russian offensive war against Ukraine on February 24, RBI came under increasing pressure for this involvement.
Since then, RBI has been exploring how to deal with the Russian subsidiary. At issue are continuing as before or selling the company in Russia. Nothing has been decided as of yet and there have been no statements from RBI on the matter for months.
Ambassador Ukraine sees ‘moral problem’
Ukraine’s ambassador to Austria, Wassyl Chymynez, emphasized in the APA interview that sanctions would be scrutinized very thoroughly. If it turns out that the Austrian bank “provides financial benefits” to Russian recruits and indirectly recognizes the “fake republics”, ie the separatist regions of eastern Ukraine, then this would also be a “moral problem”.
The ambassador pointed out that the recruits in Ukraine “kill and rape” and that Russian money is “contaminated with a lot of blood”. Chymynez called on Austrian companies to reconsider their business with Russia. “It is not too late to make the decision and leave the Russian market.”
Criticism of credit moratorium for Russian soldiers
RBI is currently being criticized on Twitter for offering a credit moratorium in Russia to certain groups of people in Russia, including Russian soldiers and their families, as well as people recruited from the Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine. At the request of “Standard”, RBI said the screenshot came from the bank’s homepage in Russia. All Russian banks are required by law to grant a credit moratorium to conscripted soldiers, according to Raiffeisen Bank International. You therefore meet the legal requirements.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
