The idyllic Balearic island of Mallorca has become the focus of a sensational investigation that offers deep insights into the opaque dealings of Russian oligarchs. At the center is Nikolai Kolesov, a feared supplier of Putin’s helicopters and a key figure in the Russian defense industry. He allegedly acquired five luxury villas on the island through his underage children and relatives to circumvent sanctions. This was revealed by his ex-wife Diana in a shocking interview with Crónica.
The Tragic Family Story of Oligarch Kolesov
The Kolesov family’s story resembles a modern drama. While Leo Tolstoy once wrote about unhappy families, the reality in the Kolesov household surpasses any fiction. Nikolai Kolesov, a man known for his outbursts and authoritarian behavior, allegedly told his children after divorcing Diana that their mother had died. In reality, Diana lives in Spain, deeply saddened because she hasn’t seen her little ones for four years. “The children should be with their mother, but he is brainwashing them,” she complains to Crónica. Kolesov, 69 years old and Director-General of Russian Helicopters, is on the EU sanctions list due to his involvement in Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine.
Mallorca as a Retreat for Oligarch Wealth
Despite the war and the imposed sanctions, Mallorca appears to be a preferred location for Kolesov’s immense possessions. No less than five villas are said to be in his possession. The trick: the acquisitions were made through his children and other family members.
The Impossible Real Estate Deals of the Kolesov Children
In 2022, his daughter Nikol, then just four years old, acquired a villa in Calviá, Mallorca, valued at around five million euros. This property, bought by Kolesov’s company Elekon in 2014, changed hands after the 2021 divorce and the outbreak of the Ukraine war in 2022. To protect the Mallorcan real estate empire from sanctions, “creative” solutions were found.
A second villa, estimated at three million euros with sea views, did not end up in the hands of Nikol’s twin sister Anna; instead, it went to his aunt, Kolesov’s sister Lyudmila Tenno. She also acquired the property from a front company, the Tambov Elektropribor factory, which produces missile systems for the Russian army and is also sanctioned. Lyudmila Tenno herself is on the board of a plant that manufactures navigation systems for fighter jets and drones.
Three more interconnected luxury homes in Magaluf, valued at ten million euros, were bought in 2024 by Kolesov’s son Alyosha. He, too, was only five years old at the time of purchase – according to his Spanish passport used in the notary’s office. It seems the children have become pawns in a complex web of money laundering and sanction evasion. The Spanish and Cypriot passports of the children, as well as Serbian passports of the adults, underscore the efforts to cover tracks.
Navalny’s Team Exposes and Demands Consequences
Much of these revelations come from the team of the late Russian dissident Alexey Navalny. Maria Pevchikh, Navalny’s right-hand woman and head of the anti-corruption platform FBK, has compiled the data and supported it with drone footage of the villas. She is determined to expose the Russian regime and sharply criticizes Spain for allowing “too many loopholes” in the fight against sanctioned oligarchs. Pevchikh has sent all collected documents to the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Ministry of Foreign Affairs and awaits a response.
Diana’s Fight and the Oligarchs’ Pact
Diana, Kolesov’s ex-wife, is fighting a desperate battle for her children. She describes a life of luxury and abuse. The relationship deteriorated with the pandemic, which intensified Kolesov’s paranoia. Despite threats and fear of the powerful oligarch, who even demands alimony from her, Diana tries to reunite with her children. She reports bribery of judges in Russia and forged birth certificates stating her children were born in Moscow, even though they were born in Mallorca.
Kolesov’s rise and immense wealth are closely linked to his connection with Sergei Chemezov, CEO of the Rostec conglomerate and a long-time confidant of Putin. Chemezov himself faced the temporary seizure of his $140 million yacht “Valerie” in Barcelona in March 2022, a sign that Spanish authorities occasionally act against Russian oligarchs. However, the revelations about the Kolesov villas show how complex and difficult the enforcement of sanctions is.
Today, the villas in Mallorca are empty of children, as Kolesov has taken them to Russia. Diana, who has since started a new family in Spain, continues to hope for justice. Activist Maria Pevchikh summarizes: “All this under the eyes of the Spanish authorities.” A clear call to action in the fight against the concealment of illegal assets on Spanish soil.
