TIMESONLINE: I'm back in Paris from Moscow but the news is still Russian. President Sarkozy has warned the Kremlin of the dire consequences that will ensue if it fails to pull its troops out of Georgia. If it does not, he will... call a special meeting of the European Union council. That will give Vladimir Putin pause for thought.
And we have confirmation today that a spectacular Belle Epoque villa on the Riviera is being bought by Mikhail Prokhorov, one of Russia's biggest billionaires, for the astonishing sum of 496 million euros (731 million dollars). The world record real estate deal emerged last week, but the identity of the mystery Russian was only reported yesterday by Nice Matin newspaper.
The two events can be linked. The Russian purchase of the Leopolda villa [above] is an in-your-face display of the power enjoyed by the oligarchs who have amassed fortunes with the indulgence of Russia's governing caste. In January last year, Prokhorov, 42, [picture below], who made his fortune in nickel, was humiliated by French prosecutors who detained him at Courchevel, the glitzy ski resort. He was held for four days on suspicion of bringing dozens of prostitutes from Moscow to entertain his Alpine party guests but no charges were brought. The episode was seen in Moscow as a French plot to humiliate a leading Russian. Georgia and Russia’s Riviera Riches >>> By Charles Bremner | August 18, 2008
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