Viatcheslav Kantor

Kantor was born and spent his early years in Moscow, and obtained a degree from the Moscow Aviation Institute (MAI) in 1976 and did research for MAI and NPO Spektr. In 1981, he completed his PhD in Spacecraft Automatic Control Systems. He worked as a scientist and headed one of MAI research laboratories.

In 1989–1993, Kantor was Director General of Intelmas, a telecoms company. In 1996–2000 he was an economic adviser to the Chairman of the Federation Council of the Russian Federal Assembly.

Kantor directly or through trusted persons controls the Acron Group,{{Cite web|title=Олигарх из серой зоны|url=https://dossier.center/kantor/|access-date=2024-11-13|website=Досье|language=ru-RU}} one of the leading mineral fertilizer producers and distributors in the world.{{Cite web|url=https://www.acron.ru:443/en/press-center/press-releases/200792/|title=Acron Group's Output Up 7% in 2020|website=www.acron.ru|date=25 January 2021 }}

In 2021, Forbes estimated Kantor's net worth at US$7.6 billion.{{Cite web |title=Viatcheslav Kantor |url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/viatcheslav-kantor/ |website=Forbes| date=2023-02-07}}{{Cite news |date=2020-01-22 |title=Holocaust row seethes as leaders gather in Israel |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-51177428 |access-date=2022-03-15}}{{Cite news |title=Dim The Lights And Cue The Revisionism: Russia Turns Holocaust Remembrance Into Political Theater |url=https://www.rferl.org/a/dim-the-lights-and-cue-the-revisionism-russia-turns-holocaust-remembrance-into-political-theater/30422827.html |access-date=2022-03-15 |newspaper=Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |date=February 7, 2020 |language=en|last1=Scollon |first1=Michael }}{{Cite news | last=Philp | first=Catherine |title=Vladimir Putin's Holocaust speech rewrote history, museum admits | date=2020-02-04 |newspaper=The Times |language=en |url=https://www.thetimes.com/world/russia-ukraine-war/article/yad-vashem-putin-rewrote-history-holocaust-museum-admits-dh3g2f96d |access-date=2022-03-15 |issn=0140-0460}}

Kantor has close ties to the Vladimir Putin regime in Russia.{{Cite news |last=Pfeffer |first=Anshel |date=1 February 2016 |title=How Putin's Man Made His Way to the Top of European Jewry |language=en |work=Haaretz |url=https://www.haaretz.com/jewish/MAGAZINE-how-putin-s-man-made-his-way-to-the-top-of-european-jewry-1.5395939 |access-date=2022-03-15}} In 2014 he allocated at least two million dollars in aid to the voluntary Jewish battalion Matilan, formed to fight the separatists of Donbas backed by the Putin regime.{{Cite news |title=Viatcheslav Moshe Kantor failed at war, but succeeded in Russian business |language=en |work=Talk Finance |url=http://www.talk-finance.co.uk/international/vyacheslav-moshe-kantor-failed-at-war-but-succeeded-in-russian-business/ |access-date=2021-12-13}}[https://www.szombat.org/politika/ukrajna-ortodox-forabbija-koszonetet-mondott-a-magyar-zsidok-tamogatasaert Ukrajna ortodox főrabbija köszönetet mondott a magyar zsidók támogatásáért] // Szombat: zsidó politikai, kulturális és tudományos folyóirat (Hungary), 23.03.2022.

Kantor was sanctioned by association by the British government in March 2022 in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.{{cite news |last=Coughlan |first=Sean |date=6 March 2022 |title=Queen's hospital donor placed on UK's Russia sanctions list |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-61017342 |accessdate=6 March 2022}}{{Cite web |date=2022-04-06 |title=Moshe Kantor, president of the Jewish Congress, sanctioned by the U.K government for his ties to Putin's 'war economy' |url=https://ejpress.org/moshe-kantor-president-of-the-european-jewish-congress-sanctioned-by-the-u-k-government-for-his-ties-to-putins-war-economy/ |access-date=2022-04-10 |website=EJP |language=en-US}} Consequently University College School has decided to review the name of its sports pavilion which is named after Kantor.{{Cite web |last=Lister-Fell |first=Frankie |date=2022-04-08 |title=School 'reviews' sports pavilion name after oligarch sanctioned |url=https://www.hamhigh.co.uk/news/education/school-reviews-naming-of-kantor-centre-8874028 |access-date=2022-04-10 |website=Hampstead Highgate Express |language=en-UK}}{{cite web |title=CONSOLIDATED LIST OF FINANCIAL SANCTIONS TARGETS IN THE UK |url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1150217/Russia.pdf |access-date=16 April 2023}}

On 8 April 2022 the European Union imposed sanctions against Viatcheslav Kantor,{{Cite web|url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=OJ:L:2022:110:FULL&from=EN|title=Official Journal L 110/2022|website=eur-lex.europa.eu|access-date=2023-11-13}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2022/04/08/fifth-package-of-sanctions-in-view-of-russia-s-military-aggression-against-ukraine-eu-adopts-restrictive-measures-against-an-additional-218-individuals-and-18-entities/|title=Fifth package of sanctions in view of Russia's military aggression against Ukraine: EU adopts restrictive measures against an additional 217 individuals and 18 entities|website=consilium.europa.eu|date=2022-04-08|access-date=2023-11-13}} although on 14 March 2025, the Council of the European Union has deleted Kantor from the sanctions list.{{Cite web|url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=OJ:L_202500527|title=Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/727 of 14 March 2025|date=March 14, 2025 |website=eur-lex.europa.eu}}{{Cite web|url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=OJ:L_202500528|title=Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/727 of 14 March 2025|date=March 14, 2025 |website=eur-lex.europa.eu}}

After that, Switzerland has also announced the de-listing of Kantor from its sanctions list since March 18, 2025. {{Cite web|url=https://www.seco.admin.ch/dam/seco/de/dokumente/Aussenwirtschaft/Wirtschaftsbeziehungen/Exportkontrollen/Sanktionen/Verordnungen/Russland,%20Ukraine/situation_ukraine_delta_2025-03-18.pdf.download.pdf/Situation%20in%20der%20Ukraine_Delta_2025-03-18.pdf|title=Situation in der Ukraine_Delta_2025-03-18-1|date=March 18, 2025 |website=seco.admin.ch}}

Kantor served as President of the European Jewish Congress in 2007-2022, and was re-elected President of the EJC for a fifth term in May 2025, during the EJC General Assembly in Jerusalem, gathering almost two-thirds of the vote of its delegates, representatives of the European national Jewish communities.{{Cite web|url=https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/408790|title=Dr. Moshe Kantor re-elected EJC President: 'Europe’s Jews stand with Israel'|date=May 22, 2025 |website=israelnationalnews.com}}

{{Cite web|url=https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/article-854883|title=EJC elects Moshe Kantor for fifth term despite sanctions over Putin ties|date=May 21, 2025 |website=Jerusalem Post}}

The EJC, the largest secular organization representing the interests of European Jewry, is an influential, international public association representing 2.5 million Jews across the European continent in 42 national Jewish communities.

In 2021, he was reelected Chairman of the Policy Council of the World Jewish Congress for the third time{{Cite web|url=https://www.worldjewishcongress.org/en/news/new-executive-committee-of-world-jewish-congress?printable=true|title=World Jewish Congress|first=World Jewish|last=Congress|website=World Jewish Congress}}{{Cite web |title=EJC President Moshe Kantor re-elected as Chairman of World Jewish Congress' Policy Council |url=http://www.eurojewcong.org/ejc-in-action/16582-ejc-president-moshe-kantor-re-elected-as-chairman-of-world-jewish-congress-policy-council.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170826223903/http://www.eurojewcong.org/ejc-in-action/16582-ejc-president-moshe-kantor-re-elected-as-chairman-of-world-jewish-congress-policy-council.html |archive-date=26 August 2017 |access-date=28 April 2017}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.worldjewishcongress.org/en/news/world-jewish-congress-concludes-plenary-assembly-elects-leadership-for-next-four-years-amidst-renewed-focus-on-global-surge-in-antisemitism|title=World Jewish Congress|first=World Jewish|last=Congress|website=World Jewish Congress}} Kantor is a Vice President of the Jewish Leadership Council.{{cite web |title=Vice Presidents |url=https://www.thejlc.org/vice_presidents |access-date=September 2, 2019 |work=Jewish Leadership Council |archive-date=March 24, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190324170757/https://www.thejlc.org/vice_presidents |url-status=dead }} In 2010, he established the Kantor Center for the Study of Contemporary European Jewry at Tel Aviv University.{{Cite web|url=https://www.jpost.com/jewish-world/jewish-news/holocaust-didnt-erase-jewish-life|title='Holocaust didn't erase Jewish life'|website=The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com|date=10 May 2010 }}{{Cite web|url=https://www.jpost.com/jewish-world/jewish-features/worlds-50-most-influential-jews-176071|title=World's 50 most influential Jews|website=The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com|date=21 May 2010 }} In 2019, Yad Vashem nominated Moshe Kantor as Chancellor of the Council, and before it he served as its Member of Directorate since 2010.{{Cite web|url=https://www.yadvashem.org/donors/moshe-kantor.html|title = Mr. & MRS. Moshe Kantor, Russia}} Kantor was President of the Russian Jewish Congress (RJC) in 2005–2009. He founded and headed the World Holocaust Forum (WHF) in 2005. He is a founder and chairman of the European Jewish Fund (EJF), established in 2006.

He has chaired the World Holocaust Forum Foundation.{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/world-leaders-convene-in-jerusalem-to-remember-holocaust-and-counter-anti-semitism/2020/01/23/e82fa964-3d56-11ea-afe2-090eb37b60b1_story.html|title=World leaders convene in Jerusalem to remember Holocaust and counter anti-Semitism|newspaper=The Washington Post|first1=Steve|last1=Hendrix|first2=Ruth|last2=Eglash|first3=Ashley|last3=Parker|date=23 January 2020|access-date=27 April 2022}}{{cite web | title=About the Fifth World Holocaust Forum | website=Yad Vashem. The World Holocaust Remembrance Center | url=https://www.yadvashem.org/holocaust-forum-2020/about.html }} In 2020, the World Holocaust Forum organized by Kantor came under controversy after Vladimir Putin was allowed to give a speech that distorted the history of the Soviet Union in World War II. The forum refused to allow Polish President Andrzej Duda to have a speaking slot.

He is the founder and president of President of the European Council on Tolerance and Reconciliation (ECTR). Kantor drafted and has repeatedly attempted to pass the ECTR's proposed European law known as the Model National Statute for the Promotion of Tolerance, one of the most sweeping hate speech laws ever proposed in Europe.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jan/25/jewish-leaders-europe-legislation-outlawing-antisemitism|title=Jewish leaders call for Europe-wide legislation outlawing antisemitism|author=Ian Traynor|website=The Guardian|date=January 25, 2015|accessdate=April 19, 2024}}

In 2007, Kantor founded and was elected president of the International Luxembourg Forum on Preventing Nuclear Catastrophe, an international non-governmental organisation uniting leading world-renowned experts on nuclear non-proliferation, materials and delivery vehicles. The Forum was established pursuant to a decision of the International Conference held in Luxembourg on 24–25 May 2007. The conference was attended by over 50 renowned experts from 14 countries, including Sergey Kirienko, Director General of the Rosatom State Atomic Energy Corporation, Mohamed ElBaradei, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Nikolay Laverov, Academician and Vice President of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS), William Perry, former Secretary of the U.S. Department of Defense, and Hans Blix, Chairman of the Weapons of Mass Destruction Commission and former Director General of the IAEA.

Kantor is married to Anna Kantor and has four sons and a daughter. Kantor is a citizen of Russia, the United Kingdom and Israel.{{Cite web |title=Viatcheslav Kantor |url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/viatcheslav-kantor/ |access-date=2023-03-03 |website=Forbes |language=en}}{{Cite news |title=Just Don't Call Them Gaydamak: Meet Israel's Russian Oligarchs |language=en |work=Haaretz |url=https://www.haaretz.com/2013-07-02/ty-article/.premium/meet-israels-russian-oligarchs/0000017f-dbb9-d3a5-af7f-fbbfac940000 |access-date=2023-03-03}}{{Cite news |last1=Elgot |first1=Jessica |last2=Jolly |first2=Jasper |date=2022-04-06 |title=Moshe Kantor: UK sanctions Russian billionaire over ties to Putin |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/apr/06/moshe-kantor-uk-sanctions-russian-billionaire-over-ties-to-putin |access-date=2023-03-03 |issn=0261-3077}}

Kantor bought a violin made by the Italian violin maker Riccardo Antoniazzi in 1912. The violin has been given as a First Prize of the 2nd International Violinists Vladimir Spivakov Contest. Its price was $140,000.{{Cite web|url=http://www.bashinform.ru/news/1212343-pobeditel-konkursa-vladimira-spivakova-poluchit-skripku-stoimostyu-140-tysyach/|website=Bashinform |date=September 17, 2018 |title=The Winner of the Vladimir Spivakov Contest Will Get a Violin for $140,000}}

Kantor was a trustee of the Anna Freud Centre (London, UK), but was removed from this position after the Russian Invasion of Ukraine.{{Cite web|url=https://www.annafreud.org/|title=Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families|website=www.annafreud.org}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.annafreud.org/about-us/meet-the-trustees/dr-moshe-kantor/|title=Trustees of Anna Freud Centre}} Kantor was previously a patron of King Solomon High School (London, UK).{{Cite web|url=https://www.kkshs.uk/|title=Home|website=Kantor King Solomon High School}} Kantor supported the development of the school which is a Jewish Comprehensive school based in Redbridge.{{Cite web|url=http://www.jewishnews.co.uk/king-solomon-school-changes-name-in-jewish-leaders-honour/|title=King Solomon school changes name in Jewish leader's honour|first=Alex|last=Davis|website=www.jewishnews.co.uk}}

Kantor has been a benefactor of the Royal Opera House Covent Garden Foundation since 2013, in which capacity he has facilitated various projects.{{Cite web|url=https://www.roh.org.uk/about/boards-and-committees|title=Boards and Committees|website=www.roh.org.uk}}

Kantor was appointed Life Governor and Trustee of the King Edward VII's Hospital in London after his charitable foundation funded the redevelopment of the site adjacent to the hospital, Macintosh House, which was subsequently renamed the Kantor Medical Centre.{{Cite web|url=https://www.kingedwardvii.co.uk/app/uploads/2021/02/King-Edward-VIIs-Hospital-Annual-Report-and-Financial-Statements-31-March-2020.pdf|title=King Edward VII's Hospital. Annual Report and Financial Statements}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.kingedwardvii.co.uk/about-king-edward-vii/team/|title=Our Team|first=Barney|last=Baxendale}}

Kantor is president of the Museum of Avant-Garde Mastery (MAGMA),{{cite web |url=https://www.museummagma.ru/?page_id=57 |title=Museum of Avant-Garde Mastery}} founded in 2001 in Moscow on Kantor's initiative.

In 2018, President of the Russian Academy of Arts and People's Artist of the URSS Zurab Tsereteli officially awarded Kantor as the President of MAGMA Museum with the robe and diploma of Honorary Member of the Russian Academy of Arts.{{Cite web|url=http://moshekantor.com/en/press/20180117-2815/|title=President of the Museum of Avant-Garde Mastery Viatcheslav Kantor elected Honorary Member of the Russian Academy of Arts}}

Kantor received the following government awards: Order of Friendship (Russia, 1998), Officer's Cross of the Order of Merit (Poland, 2005), Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise (Ukraine, 2006), Order of Leopold (Belgium, 2009), Chevalier of the National Order of the Legion of Honour (France, 2012), Knight's Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (Italy, 2013), Grand Cross with honours of the National Order of Merit (Romania, 2014), Officer of the National Order of the Legion of Honour (France, 2014, presented in 2015), The Order of Honour (Russia, 2016), Officer of the Order of the Crown (Belgium, 2020) and Grand Decoration of Honour in Gold for Services to the Republic of Austria (Austria, 2021).{{Cite web|title=Grapevine November 12: Yet another honor|url=https://www.jpost.com/opinion/grapevine-november-12-yet-another-honor-684745|access-date=2021-11-12|website=The Jerusalem Post {{!}} JPost.com|date=11 November 2021 |language=en-US}}

He is an honorary citizen of Veliky Novgorod (1997){{Cite web|url=http://docs.adm.nov.ru/__C32574DA0044010E.nsf/0/1FECDC949BBA363DC325755F00276A48?OpenDocument|title = Реш. Новгородской городской Думы от 12/10/1997 №272 "О присвоении звания "Почетный гражданин Новгорода"|language=ru |website=docs.adm.nov.ru}} and Honorary Member of the Russian Academy of Arts.{{Cite web|url=https://www.rah.ru/exhibitions/detail.php?ID=33536&sphrase_id=102477|title=З. К. Церетели вручил регалии почётного члена Российской академии художеств Вячеславу Кантору и Марине Лошак|accessdate=2020-12-08|language=ru |website=rah.ru}}

In addition, he received an honorary doctorate from Tel-Aviv University (2004){{cite web |url=http://www2.tau.ac.il/news/engnews.asp?month=5&year=2004 |title=Tel Aviv University Webflash |date=May 2004 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040616234022/http://www2.tau.ac.il/news/engnews.asp?month=5&year=2004 |archive-date=2004-06-16}} and the Medal of Merit "Deserved for Tolerance" by the Ecumenical Foundation Tolerance (2011).

Kantor has been recognized for seven consecutive years as one of the '50 Most Influential Jews in the World'.{{cite web|title=The Jerusalem Post's 50 most influential Jews|url=http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/50-most-influential-Jews-403742|work=The Jerusalem Post|access-date=May 21, 2015}}

In 1997, Viatcheslav Kantor was named Honorary Citizen of Veliky Novgorod.{{Cite web |title=Honorary Citizens of Veliky Novgorod at the City Administration website – Viatcheslav Kantor – 08.09.1953 |url=http://www.adm.nov.ru/adm/pg_detail.xhtml?uid=D1F3C9AEE6B4FEB6C3256A8400257A9A |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170410214425/http://www.adm.nov.ru/adm/pg_detail.xhtml?uid=D1F3C9AEE6B4FEB6C3256A8400257A9A |archive-date=10 April 2017 |access-date=10 April 2017}}

• European Jewish Congress
• World Jewish Congress
• European Council on Tolerance and Reconciliation
• International Luxembourg Forum on Preventing Nuclear Catastrophe
• European Jewish Fund
• World Holocaust Forum
• Museum of Avant-Garde Mastery

{{reflist}}

• [http://www.moshekantor.com Viatcheslav Moshe Kantor (website)]
• [http://www.eurojewcong.org European Jewish Congress]
• [http://www.europeanjewishfund.org European Jewish Fund]
• [http://www.kantorcenter.tau.ac.il/ Kantor Center on the Study of Contemporary European Jewry]
• {{YouTube|0VBQKUqOybU|An interview to the IBA TV}}
• [http://www.nicr.ru National Institute of Corporate Reform]

{{Privatization in Russia}}

{{World Jewish Congress}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kantor, Viatcheslav}}

Category:1953 births

Category:Living people

Category:Museum founders

Category:Anti-racism activists

Category:Jewish anti-racism activists

Category:Russian Jews

Category:Russian billionaires

Category:Officers of the Legion of Honour

Category:Knights of the Legion of Honour

Category:Knights Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic

Category:Recipients of the Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise

Category:Officers of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland

Category:Recipients of the Order of Honour (Russia)

Category:Recipients of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic

Category:Grand Crosses of the Order of the Star of Romania

Category:Russian businesspeople in the United Kingdom

Category:Russian oligarchs

Category:Russian individuals subject to European Union sanctions

Category:Russian individuals subject to United Kingdom sanctions