'Blood money': Ukrainian MP slams Sunak's wife for Russian operation

27 March 2022, 08:45

Ukrainian MP brands Sunak's wife's dividend 'blood money'

This is the moment the co-chair of Ukraine's UK friendship group said Rishi Sunak's wife is effectively sponsoring the killing of Ukrainians.

Rishi Sunak has been warned he has "very serious questions to answer" after it was revealed that his wife receives millions from her shareholdings in the IT and consultancy business Infosys.

Akshata Murthy owns a stake "worth hundreds of millions" in the company, founded by her father, which is still operating in Moscow despite the Chancellors pleas to businesses to stop trade in Russia.

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"She maintains a stake of some £700 million plus which was declared the other day," Andrew Castle pointed out to Ukrainian MP Lesia Vasylenko.

"Any money that is put into the Russian economy in one way or the other, be it directly, be it through investment, be it through taxes...that money goes to sponsor the army."

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Ms Vasylenko told LBC listeners that companies such as that linked to the Chancellor's wife are helping Vladimir Putin "to buy the bullets that are killing Ukrainian children, Ukrainian women."

"Every company has the choice to make, you can run the business as usual and make your money, but you have to live with the fact it's bloody money, and bloody trade.

"If you're ok with that, then fine."

She told Andrew that whilst Ms Murthy might feel fine about gaining financially through her stake in the company still operating in Russia, "I'm not sure your customers would be ok with that."