London, Thanasis Gavos

The growing traffic Russian moneyas well as the increasing presence of Russians in the occupied territories highlights a Guardian report from Trikomo, which comes after the revelations in the context of the ‘Cyprus Confidential’ files.

The article states that the casinos but also the schools pthe possessed northern Cyprus is filled with Russians who seek refuge from the international sanctions against them, which are also applied by the Cypriot government.

The evidence shows how 39,000 Russians settled in the occupied territories this year alone and 58,788 crossed the Green Line crossings from south to north between January and September. 69% of students in Trikomo are from Russia and Iran.

At the same time, it is noted that the arrival of Russian and Iranian money has led to intense construction activity in the region and has significantly increased the trading stocks.

It is reported that Trikomo has started to be called by the Turkish Cypriots the “new Limassol” and that there are stories about local lawyers who have become rich “overnight”.

The publication adds that there are rumors of Greek Cypriot lawyers helping their Turkish Cypriot colleagues to manage the assets of Russian clients who are leaving the south.

Turkish Cypriot lawyers set up asset management trusts for their Russian clients that are completely anonymous, “no questions asked”, facilitating money laundering, a Turkish Cypriot economist claims.

The ultimate goal, he adds, is to sell these assets and with “clean” money for the Russian owners to move to London, Dubai or Manhattan.