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| Russian Oligarch and Sharp Critic of Putin Dies in Britain | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| MOSCOW — Boris A. Berezovsky, once the richest and most powerful of the so-called oligarchs who dominated post-Soviet Russia, and a close ally of Boris N. Yeltsin who helped install Vladimir V. Putin as president but later exiled himself to London after a bitter falling-out with the Kremlin, died Saturday. | MOSCOW — Boris A. Berezovsky, once the richest and most powerful of the so-called oligarchs who dominated post-Soviet Russia, and a close ally of Boris N. Yeltsin who helped install Vladimir V. Putin as president but later exiled himself to London after a bitter falling-out with the Kremlin, died Saturday. |
| He was 67 and lived outside of London, where last year he lost what was billed as the world’s largest private lawsuit in history — an epic battle with another Russian oligarch, Roman A. Abramovich, in which legal and other costs rose to about $250 million. | |
| Mr. Berezovsky’s death was first reported in a post on Facebook by his son-in-law, Egor Schuppe, and confirmed by a lawyer, Alexander Dobrovinsky, who said that Mr. Berezovsky may have committed suicide. | Mr. Berezovsky’s death was first reported in a post on Facebook by his son-in-law, Egor Schuppe, and confirmed by a lawyer, Alexander Dobrovinsky, who said that Mr. Berezovsky may have committed suicide. |
| Recent news reports described how Mr. Berezovsky had begun to sell personal assets, including a yacht and a painting by Warhol, “Red Lenin,” to pay debts related to the lawsuit. | Recent news reports described how Mr. Berezovsky had begun to sell personal assets, including a yacht and a painting by Warhol, “Red Lenin,” to pay debts related to the lawsuit. |
| The lawsuit, in which Mr. Berezovsky had brought a $5.1 billion claim against Mr. Abramovich in a dispute over the sale of shares in the Russian oil company Sibneft and other assets, ended in a spectacular defeat. | The lawsuit, in which Mr. Berezovsky had brought a $5.1 billion claim against Mr. Abramovich in a dispute over the sale of shares in the Russian oil company Sibneft and other assets, ended in a spectacular defeat. |
| In her ruling, the judge, Elizabeth Gloster, called Mr. Berezovsky, an “unimpressive and inherently unreliable witness” and at times a dishonest one. By contrast, the judge said Mr. Abramovich had been “a truthful, and on the whole, reliable witness.” | In her ruling, the judge, Elizabeth Gloster, called Mr. Berezovsky, an “unimpressive and inherently unreliable witness” and at times a dishonest one. By contrast, the judge said Mr. Abramovich had been “a truthful, and on the whole, reliable witness.” |
| Mr. Berezovsky was a leading Soviet mathematician who after the fall of Communism went into business and figured out how to skim profits off what was then Russian’s largest state-owned carmaker. Along with spectacular wealth, he accumulated enormous political influence, becoming a close ally of Mr. Yeltsin’s. | Mr. Berezovsky was a leading Soviet mathematician who after the fall of Communism went into business and figured out how to skim profits off what was then Russian’s largest state-owned carmaker. Along with spectacular wealth, he accumulated enormous political influence, becoming a close ally of Mr. Yeltsin’s. |
| With Mr. Yeltsin political career fading, Mr. Berezovsky helped engineer the rise of Mr. Putin, an obscure former K.G.B. agent and one-time aide to the mayor of St. Petersburg, who became president of Russia in 2000 and last May returned to the presidency for a third term. | With Mr. Yeltsin political career fading, Mr. Berezovsky helped engineer the rise of Mr. Putin, an obscure former K.G.B. agent and one-time aide to the mayor of St. Petersburg, who became president of Russia in 2000 and last May returned to the presidency for a third term. |
| After his election, Mr. Putin began a campaign of tax claims against a group of rich and powerful Russians, including Mr. Berezovsky and the oil tycoon Mikhail B. Khodorkovsky, who remains jailed in Russia. | After his election, Mr. Putin began a campaign of tax claims against a group of rich and powerful Russians, including Mr. Berezovsky and the oil tycoon Mikhail B. Khodorkovsky, who remains jailed in Russia. |
| Mr. Berezovsky fled to London, where he eventually won political asylum and at one point raised tensions by calling for a coup against Mr. Putin. | Mr. Berezovsky fled to London, where he eventually won political asylum and at one point raised tensions by calling for a coup against Mr. Putin. |
This article has been revised to reflect the following correction: | |
| Correction: March 23, 2013 | |
A previous version of this article said Boris Berezovsky died at his home in London. His home was outside of London. |