Russian billionaires vs British writer: London court battle begins over Putin book
- In the book, Catherine Belton chronicles Putin’s rise and how many of his associates from the former Soviet spy services rose to positions of power
- The billionaires including Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramovich and state-owned oil firm Rosneft claim the book defames them
In the 2020 book, British journalist Catherine Belton chronicles Putin’s rise to power and how many of his associates from the former Soviet spy services rose to positions of wealth and influence after he won the top Kremlin job in 1999.
Lawyers for the businessmen will tell the court that passages in the book Putin’s People: How the KGB Took Back Russia and then Took on the West, published by HarperCollins, are defamatory. Abramovich is suing both HarperCollins and Belton, according to case details filed with the courts and tribunals service.
HarperCollins said it would “robustly defend this acclaimed and groundbreaking book and the right to report on matters of considerable public interest”.
Belton, a former Financial Times Moscow correspondent and now a Reuters special correspondent, declined to comment. Law firm Wiggin, which is representing HarperCollins and Belton, did not respond to a request for comment.
“The book falsely alleges that our client has acted corruptly, and makes false claims about our client’s purchase, and the activities, of Chelsea Football Club. Such claims are totally unacceptable and are without foundation,” Abramovich’s lawyers, Harbottle & Lewis, said on March 22.