Revolut co-founder hits out at Putin following Ukraine invasion

Vlad Yatsenko, co-founder and chief technology officer of one of the UK’s most valuable fintech companies Revolut, has labelled Russia’s leader Vladimir Putin a “brazen liar”.

Yatsenko, who is Ukrainian and from Mykolaiv, which has become a key flashpoint in the invasion, took to Twitter yesterday to voice his thoughts. 

“I hope most Russians will finally be able to see that their president is one of the most brazen liars in history... Using the overtones of "defending" the Russians, Putin attacked a peaceful Ukraine. Ukraine is and will be free!” he said in Russian.

Я недеюсь, большинство россиян смогут наконец-то увидеть что их президент один из наиболее наглых лжецов в истории... Используя подтекст "защиты" россиян, Путин атаковал мирную Украину. Украина есть и будет свободна!

— Vlad Yatsenko (@vyatsenko)

Together with Nik Storonsky, its CEO and himself a Russian national, Revolut has grown to be one of Europe’s most valuable startups with a valuation of £24bn at its last fundraise in July of 2021.

The billionaire duo founded Revolut in 2015. Storonsky emigrated to the UK when he was 20 years old and is a UK passport holder. In 2019 he hit back at media reports that he had links to the Kremlin through his father's role as a director of the Russian energy giant Gazprom.