Main funder of polar regions APPG is still linked to Russia

1. On 23 November 2022, I revealed that the main funder of the all-party parliamentary group (“APPG”) for the polar regions, the Mamont Foundation, is a Guernsey-registered foundation linked to Russia.
2. In November 2022, the Mamont Foundation was renamed the Cryosphere Foundation, according to the Guernsey registry. It continues to be controlled by Dr Frederik Paulsen, the Swedish billionaire founder and owner of Marussia Beverages. Headquartered in Switzerland, the Marussia Beverages group is a multinational producer and distributor of spirits, wines and sakes.
3. The latest APPG register shows the polar regions APPG received £50k (27 February 2023) and £7.4k (27 October 2023) from the Cryosphere Foundation.
4. Marussia Beverages still makes a vodka in Russia, Mamont Vodka, which it distributes around the world, including the UK via Marussia Beverages UK Ltd. “Mamont” is Russian for mammoth. The UK-registered company website is clear: Mamont Vodka is linked to the Mamont Foundation and has been since 2007 (see 23 November 2022 post).

Figure 1. Mamont Vodka: Marussia Beverages group website at 11 March 2024

5. Mamont Vodka has recently vanished from the UK website, however. When I rang the company for clarification, I was told the Siberian vodka is “currently out of stock”. By contrast, the Marussia Beverages group website shows it continues to produce Mamont Vodka (screen shot in Figure 1). What’s more, the Amazon UK website still sells the spirit (screen shot in Figure 2).

Figure 2. Mamont Vodka: Amazon UK website at 11 March 2024

6. Companies House records show Dr Paulsen is a “person with significant control” of Marussia Beverages UK Ltd.
7. On 24 February 2022, meanwhile, Russia invaded Ukraine. Yet Marussia Beverages continues to produce Mamont Vodka in Siberia, Russia and distribute it around the world. Thus Marussia Beverages is helping Russia finance its illegal war against neighbour Ukraine.
8. James Gray, the Conservative MP for North Wiltshire, chairs the APPG. The senior MP commented on my initial findings (see 23 November 2022 post). I therefore went back to him for this article, asking the following question: Why is the APPG still accepting funding from the Cryosphere Foundation when Marussia Beverages continues to operate in Russia?
9. By reply, Mr Gray said in an email: “As per our statement to the same request last year, there is no financial relationship between the Cryosphere Foundation and the Mamont Vodka / Marussia Beverages.”
10. But that wasn’t what the senior MP told me for the first article (see 23 November 2022 post). Further, it was still the Mamont Foundation back then.