economy
Vladimir Putin's and Patriarch Kirill's wineries received medals at a European wine competition
In one of the major European wine competitions Concours Mondial de Bruxelles (CMB), 19 Russian wineries took part, 7 of which are located in occupied Crimea. Most of these wineries belong to Vladimir Putin's circle, including two personally associated with him and located at the palace in Gelendzhik – "Krinitsa" and "Usadba Divnomorskoye".
TL;DR
- 19 Russian wineries, including 7 from occupied Crimea, participated in the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles.
- Several participating wineries are linked to Vladimir Putin, Patriarch Kirill, and other influential Russian figures.
- These wineries received awards ranging from CMB Merit to Grand Gold medals.
- The participation of Crimean wineries poses risks of violating EU and US sanctions, particularly concerning financial transactions and blacklisted entities like 'Massandra' and 'Winepark'.
- The competition organizers listed Crimea as a separate participating country, which contradicts EU policy.
- The Association of Grape Growers and Winemakers of Russia (AVWR), controlled by Yuri Kovalchuk, organized the participation of Russian wineries and tasters.