Galicki, a pioneer of the Russian IT industry, recognized as an "extremist", fled Russia.
Founder and IT investor Almaz Capital, Aleksander Galicki, fled Russia, despite provisional measures in the case which classified it and its foundation as an ‘extremistic organisation’. A typical of the General Prosecutor's Office informed about this at a proceeding at the Moscow Municipal Court. According to the agency, Galicki left the country with a Dutch passport through Belarus and previously withdrew billions of rubles from his Gazprombank account. “If Galicki calls himself a patriot, why, in violation of provisional measures, did he leave Russia with a Dutch passport and go to Belarus?” said the prosecutor’s typical in court.
According to TASS, on Tuesday the Moscow City Court upheld the decision to recognise businessman Alexander Galicki and Almaz Capital Partners as an extremist organization and kept in force the decision to seize his assets worth 8 billion rubles for state purposes. Galicki denies the charges. In March, the Twurski Court took into account the prosecution's allegations that Galicki financed Ukrainian armed forces. The court subsequently ordered the seizure of assets of an 8 billion rubles businessman, including 7 billion rubles in bank accounts. In addition, the State was to receive an flat and 5 parking spaces in Moscow, as well as a summertime home in the Moscow Oblast worth over a billion rubles.
According to the prosecutor's office, after the annexation of Crimea in 2014, Almaz Capital supported western sanctions, stopped investing in Russian projects and began transferring funds abroad. After the outbreak of the war in Ukraine in 2022, the fund, according to the prosecutor's office, condemned the actions of the Russian authorities and donated over $50 million to Ukrainian companies developing weapons and drones. Galicki's defence maintains that he broke off his contacts with the fund after the war broke out. The investor himself declared that he had invested exclusively in civilian projects.
Aleksander Galicki is 1 of the most celebrated Russian venture capital investors in the technology sector. Over the 18 years of the Almaz Capital Fund, it has invested over $300 million in over 50 software start-ups for businesses, cybersecurity, cloud technologies, artificial intelligence and online services. His portfolio included companies specified as Yandex, Acronis, Parallels, 3Dlook, Hover, GridGain, Octonion, Minutes, CarPrice, GoodData, DMarket and Mobalitics.
Galicki's assets began to be transferred to Rostec. For example, the CarPrice utilized car sales platform and its stakes in the S-Terra improvement company were nationalized by the national Asset Management Agency for state corporation, along with shares in 10 another companies.
Galicki's lawyer comments on a businessman's departure from Russia
Kira Koruma, lawyer of Alexander Galicki (who, along with the Almaz Capital Partners investment fund, is recognized as an extremist organization banned in Russia), commented for Forbes on the prosecutor's message regarding the departure of a businessman from Russia after the court ruling on the seizure of 8 billion rubles of his assets. The lawyer denies the prosecution's claims that the businessman "has left the Russian Federation with a Dutch passport", but added that he cannot accurately find where Galicki is. The prosecutor had previously stated in the Moscow Municipal Court that the businessman had managed to leave the country by Belarus “in violation of provisional measures in this case”.
Kira Koruma, a lawyer of businessman Alexander Galicki (who, along with Almaz Capital Partners' investment fund, is recognized as an extremist organization banned in Russia), commented on the prosecutor's message that the businessman had left Russia 2 days after the court's decision to seize his assets worth 8 billion rubles. The lawyer told Forbes that the prosecutor's claim that Galicki had left the Russian Federation “on a Dutch passport” was false, but indicated that he could not tell precisely where Galicki was presently residing.
"Another step is, of course, the appeal from the court's decision. After reading the justification, we will discuss the anticipation of appeal and its perspective. Although the perspectives of the appeal and the way the case is handled are mostly clear, we have nothing but to go to the end and prove our position, the unwarrantedness of all accusations," Koruma said.
In addition, the lawyer stated that the Moscow City Court had waived the decision to forfeit Galicki's claim against businessman Alexander Udow for a sum of 1.87 billion rubles.
"The court has indeed changed its decision to forfeit the claim against the thigh. Why would he do that? On whose initiative? No one, including Widows, appealed against this peculiar part of the decision. Why the court did it on its own initiative, it's hard for us to say. But it seems formally that Alexander [Galicki] actually retained the claim," she stressed.
This morning, the prosecutor stated in the Moscow City Court that Galicki, in violation of provisional measures in this case, had left the country through Belarus, utilizing a Dutch passport. The court besides upheld the decision recognising the businessman and his venture capital fund, Almaz Capital Partners, as an extremist organization and prohibiting their activities in Russia. He besides repealed the decision of the first instance to waive Galicki's claim against businessman Alexander Udodov of 1.87 billion rubles.
On 23 March, the Twurski Court in Moscow imposed a temporary seizure of Galicki's assets of a full value of 8 billion rubles, following a suit brought by the lawyer General. The assets afraid included an investor's apartment, 5 parking spaces in Moscow, a agrarian residence with economical buildings in the Moscow Oblast with a full value of over 1 billion rubles and over 7 billion rubles in bank accounts. The court besides considered the businessman and his venture capital fund, Almaz Capital Partners, to be an extremist organization.
The Wiedomosti reported that Almaz Capital Partners was accused of providing financial assistance to armed groups active in terrorist attacks against the civilian population and civilian infrastructure. The Kommiersant reported that according to the lawyer General, the company donated over $50 million to Ukrainian cartridge companies, innovative ammunition, drone components and another weapons. According to TASS, the agency besides demanded restrictions on a businessman's travel abroad.
Galicki stated at the court proceeding on 23 March that the case against him was fabricated and follows from his dispute with his ex-wife Alia Galicka, who committed suicide in February in temporary custody. Businessman claimed Galicka committed suicide on orders from abroad lawyers.
By March 2022 Galicki was on the board of Alfa-Bank. He left the Board of Directors after imposing European sanctions on the founder of Alfa Group, Mikhail Fridman (No. 9 on the list of 155 Russian Forbes magazine billionaires of 2026, with a net asset of $16.5 billion) and erstwhile president of the bank's board of directors, Petra Avena (Nor 36, with net assets of $5.1 billion) in connection with the launch of a "military peculiar operation"(*) in Ukraine.
(*)According to Roskomover's requirement, all Russian media are obliged to usage only information from authoritative Russian sources erstwhile preparing material on peculiar operations in the east of Ukraine. We cannot print materials that describe the operation as “attack”, “invasion” or “denunciation of war” unless it is simply a direct quote (Article 57 of the national Media Act). Violation of this request may consequence in a fine of 5 million rubles or a blockage of publication.
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Aleksandr Vladimirovich Galicki is simply a venture capital investor, PhD in engineering, author of 100 technological publications and holder of 30 patents. He is the founder of ELVIS-PLUS and the founder and managing partner of Almaz Capital Partners. In russian times, he worked as a defence scientist in the russian space manufacture and was 1 of the main designers in the ELAS technological and Production Association. It has 2 passports (Dutch and Russian).[1]
In March 2026, the General Prosecutor's Office of the Russian Federation filed a suit accusing Alexander Galicki and his investment fund Almaz Capital Partners of backing Ukrainian companies developing and producing ammunition, components for drones and another weapons[2].
Early years
Aleksander Galicki was born on 9 February 1955 in the village of Zarečany in the Żytomier region of Ukrainian SRR in the Ukrainian family: the manager of sowchozu and teacher.[3] As a child, Galicki was curious in technology and science, loving to assemble radio sets and launch homemade rockets.[4]
He graduated from advanced school with honors and began his studies at the Moscow Institute of Electronic Technology (MIET). During his studies, Galicki became curious in theoretical physics and computer science. During his student internship, he went to the Zielonograd investigation Institute of Micro-Devices (NIIMP). After graduating from MEET in 1979, he returned to work at this institute.[4][5] He defended his doctoral dissertation from engineering cybernetics at the Microdevice investigation Institute, affiliated with MIPT.[6] NPO ELAS and ELVIS technological and method Centre
NIIMP developed satellites to measurement Earth's location, computer systems for Mir orbital station and space communication systems.[7][8] During staff changes in 1987, the head of ELAS Giennadij Guskow appointed Galicki as head designer of computer systems and software for satellites.[4] Thus Galicki became the youngest chief designer in the russian arms industry.[5] In those years, due to the large age difference between him and his associates, he was called “Sasha.”[9]
During the Perestroika period, ELAS management began to reorganize the NPO, resulting in the creation of 4 major technological and method centres in March 1990: OPTEX (complexes and optical and electronic systems), ELIPS (electronic and software systems), INAS (automated information systems) and ELVIS (electronic information systems). Galicki assumed oversight of ELVIS and about 400 people working there.[10][11]
In 1990, at the invitation of the global Computer Club, Sun Microsystems founder, Bill Joy, and the company's technological director, John Gage, came to the USSR in search of talented method staff.[12] At a gathering with the Americans, Galicki demonstrated an innovative, flexible, 22-layer polyamide-printed plate, developed in ELAS, which greatly surpassed the mass-produced 8-layer tiles, and invited them to Zielonograd. There, Sun's management was greatly impressed with the network protocol-based data transmission strategy designed for spy satellites.[13]
In 1991, Galicki first visited Silicon Valley and returned with the thought of promoting russian technological achievements in the West by setting up russian companies in the United States and raising venture capital from local investors.[5][9][14][15]
Entrepreneurship
ELVIS+
The Board of Sun Microsystems, curious in working with Galicki, negotiated with the U.S. Department of State to supply Galicki, his colleagues, another leading specialists from Zielonograd and their families with 200 green cards to decision to the United States.[5][12] Sun later sent Galicki 20 efficient workstations with SPARC processors, each of which cost $20,000–300,000 at the time. The legal restrictions prevented equipment from being included in the ELVIS technological and Production Centre balance sheet. To avoid this legal conflict, Galicki and his associates founded ELVIS+ in November 1991.[9][11][13][4]
The cooperation of ELVIS+ with Sun began with the plan of a low-orbital satellite communications system. Later, due to the deficiency of funds and severe export restrictions of technology, the task was abandoned, but the companies continued to work under the 802.11 protocol contract in a PCMCIA standard device for connecting mobile computers to a wireless network, later called Wi-Fi.[16] In 1993, ELVIS+ defeated another performers active by Sun, including Motorola, in the task and presented its improvement in 1993. This yet convinced Sun of the usefulness of investing in a Russian company. An agreement to acquisition 10% ELVIS+ for $1 million took place in March 1993 and was the first investment in Sun's history.[17][18][19][20] The agreement sparked a stir after popular publications specified as the Washington Post and Washington Technology quoted anonymous sources accusing Galicki of participating in the creation of atomic weapon transportation systems for mediate East countries. Galicki proved his innocence during closed interrogations involving representatives of American intelligence agencies and senators.[5][9][10][11][13]
The wireless transmitter developed by ELVIS+ proved to be not popular on the marketplace in the early 1990s. Galicki patented the task and tried to sale the product to Russian and abroad customers, but unsuccessfully. Eventually, ELVIS+ sold the wireless communication device to the US government.[4][5][9][10][12]
In addition to the 1993 investment agreement, ELVIS+ and Sun signed a multi-annual cooperation agreement whereby Galicki became active in the improvement of various contracts for American partners.[21][18] Galicki and his co-workers gained early access to Sun's latest achievements, for example by learning Java's future language 2 years before its release. In parallel with the implementation of Sun contracts, ELVIS+ developed solutions in the field of network information safety – the first investigation in this area was published in 1994. In 1996, ELVIS+ developed a VPN network for Windows operating computers based on Microsoft's hacked[22] network controller. In May 1997, Sun officially announced the decision to get an OEM licence from ELVIS+ for worldwide distribution of Windows 3.11 and Windows 95 platforms. The product was subsequently certified by the State method Commission at the president of the Russian Federation[23][14][10].
This announcement sparked another scandal involving Galicki and the US authorities: they did not believe that the Russian company could make specified complex technology on its own and suspected Sun to transfer ELVIS+ to its cryptographic knowledge, thereby violating the ban on exporting cryptographic technologies. The investigation was joined by the National safety Agency, conducting searches in Sun offices, confiscating the correspondence of ELVIS+ workers and researching software code.[10][14][24][25] Galitsky later recalled that according to representatives of the U.S. Department of Commerce, the investigation was initiated following a complaint filed by Microsoft, with which Sun competed in the corporate market.[14]
The investigation continued for almost a year and yet ELVIS+ and Sun were cleared of all charges. Thanks to wide publicity and many publications in the media, the incidental brought Galicki and his company planet publicity. In 1998, ELVIS+ noted that publicity sparked interest in their product – the demo version was downloaded from ELVIS+ servers over 3,500 times.[10][14] ELVIS+ technology innovation has been highly rated by Western technology experts and the Wall Street diary has ranked the company to 10 companies from Central and east Europe and Russia that have established their position on global markets and have been competitive to its largest players.[26][27] Before the scandal related to the VPN ELVIS+ network went silent, the five-year cooperation agreement with Sun expired and the parties did not renew it. Galicki then dealt with another projects, and in the late 1990s he withdrew from operational management of ELVIS+, remaining the company's main owner. He returned to direct management only once, in 2009–2010 to aid the company overcome the effects of the financial crisis.[5][9][14][4][28]
Elvis-Telecom
In 1992, ELVIS+ launched Russia's first fax gateway and began providing online fax services.[9][11] In 1993, ELVIS+ became 1 of the first Russian net providers.[4][13] In 1994, together with VimpelCom and Modul discipline and Technology Center, the company introduced wireless net services for laptops.[29] In 1996, along with the same partners, Galicki founded an Elvis-Telecom net provider.[12][30] By 2000, the company operated around 10,000 customers in Moscow and held a 15% stake in the capital net telephony market. In October 2000, Galicki left the company, selling his shares to the Norwegian telecom operator Telenor.[31]
TrustWorks.
TrustWorks was founded by Galicki in March 1998 in the Netherlands. Humphrey Polanen, erstwhile CEO of the network safety product group, joined a fresh company from Sun Microsystems, and respective twelve programmers were assigned to TrustWorks projects from ELVIS+.[25][32][33] TrustWorks developed and sold safety solutions for VPN networks based on the IPsec protocol household developed in ELVIS+.[5][9]
TrustWorks technologies were popular among major financial entities and government agencies in the US and Europe. The company raised a full of $30 million in 3 investment rounds.[34] In January 2000, during the planet economical Forum in Davos, TrustWorks and Galicki, they received the Technology Innovation for the fresh Millennium Award as part of the inaugural session "Technology Pioneers", dedicated to innovative technologies of the 21st century.[35][36]
In 2002, the board and investors decided to sale TrustWorks to the British Hansard group, and the company changed its name to Synartra.[5][4]
EzWim
In 2001, Galicki founded EzWim in Amsterdam, the company provided corporate customers with SaaS solutions to manage worker telephone expenses.[4] The entrepreneur himself calls it his successful business angel project.[37] In October 2010, EzWim was taken over by the TMT Ventures consortium.[38]
Centre for the improvement of Advanced Technology
On 1 June 2017, the Centre for the improvement of Advanced Technology (CDAT) was established – a joint task of USM Aliszera Usmanowa (USM Technologies, 50%), Rostec State corp (Avtomatika, 25%) and Elvis-Plus Group Aleksandra Galitski (25%).[39] By order of the Government of the Russian Federation of 3 April 2019, the structure of CRPT, Operator-CRPT LLC, was designated, without invitation to tender, as the operator of the Russian labelling strategy Honest Sign.[40] By mid 2021 Galitsky held a 100% stake in Elvis-Plus Group LLC. In April 2022 he moved 49% to Zvezda Finance, and at the end of the year he formally withdrew from Elvis-Plus Group capital, transferring the remaining share of Aaa Capital Management.[41] Investments
In 2003, Sven Lyngjärd, a partner at venture capital imagination Capital and founder of Tech Tour, addressed Galitsky with a proposal to become president of the first Tech Tour in Russia in 2004 – a specialised forum where global investors visited countries with developing venture markets and met local start-ups.[5][4][12] From the list of about 200 technology companies operating in various markets, his squad selected 25 to meet investors.[42][14][43][4][13][44] Galitsky later served as president of Tech Tour Southeast Europe, held in Bucharest and Sofia in May 2019, as well as president of Tech Tour east Europe, held in Warsaw and Sofia in 2018[45]
From 2003 to 2007 Galicki has served as an advisor and a private investor in many companies, including Start Telecom (substituted by Synterra), NavMaps (received by Tele Atlas), Evernote, Parallels and Acronis software manufacturers, SJLabs (sold YMAX), S-Terra and Magnifire (sold by F5 Networks), and PGP corp cryptographic solutions.[46][47][49][14]
From 2005 to 2007 Galicki accepted an invitation from Russian Technologies, part of the Alfa Group consortium, and served as a consultant in establishing the investment practice of the fund in the IT area.[50][4]
Almaz Capital Partners
During the Tech Tour in 2004, representatives of the American company turned to Galicki Cisco with the proposal to make a venture capital fund from the money of this company that would invest in Russian start-ups.[4][51] Galicki accepted Cisco's offer and an global venture capital fund Almaz Capital was established in 2008.[52][12] Its office were located in Silicon Valley.[53]
The partners of the fund included Charles Ryan (then founder and president of UFG AM and president of Deutsche Bank in Russia), Peter Łukjanov (a Russian American who worked in the venture capital Alloy fund) and Paweł Bogdanow (partner in the Russian Technologies fund). Almaz Capital invited Jeffrey Baer, an old friend and partner of Alexander Galicki to make Wi-Fi and VPN networks, to service as advisors. At that time Baer had been working for over 10 years at the U.S. Venture Partners venture capital fund. Łukjanov left the company in 2011 due to misunderstandings with Galicki and his partner became Jeffrey Baer.[12][52]
Cisco Systems[55] became a major investor in the first Almaz Capital fund, the value of which was valued at $72 million[54]. Later, UFG and the European Bank for Reconstruction and improvement (EBRD) joined, investing $20 million each[12]. Fund partners, Ryan and Galicki, besides acted as private investors. The first fund focused on identifying interesting projects in CIS for which request could be on the global market[12][56][55]
In 2011, Galicki decided to make another fund, Almaz II, without the participation of Łukjanów. Lukjanov, uncovering this a violation of his rights to the Almaz trademark, filed a suit with the California territory Court, demanding $30 million in damages.[57] Due to disagreements with Galicki Łukjanov, he left the company in 2011 and Geoffrey Baer became her partner.[58][59][60] Due to these events, Almaz Capital II was not created until 2013, according to earlier plans.
In 2013, Almaz Capital II was formed with a capital of $174 million.[54] The main investors of the fund (Cisco and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development) were joined by the global Financial Corporation, a subsidiary of the planet Bank. The second fund besides included representatives of household offices and entrepreneurs in the business sector. The second fund expanded its geographical scope, covering CIS and east Europe regions.[61][4][12][56]
In 2021, Almaz Capital III was formed with a capital of $191 million. The European Bank for Reconstruction and improvement became an investor of the fund. The European Investment Fund has besides joined organization investors.
Public activities
In 2006, Galicki became president of the hazard Capital improvement Advisory Board, set up by the Ministry of Information Technology and Communications of the Russian Federation.[62] In 2010, he was invited to the Skolkowo Foundation Council and participated pro bono in the improvement of the project. Galicke is attributed to the successful launch of the ‘Skołkowo’ and completion of the ‘on-the-ground’ infrastructure.[13][63][64] In the same year Galicki joined the Advisory Board of the Russian Venture Company and became its coordinator.[65] Later he was 1 of the initiators of the creation of the Russian Quantum Center and helped the organization establish cooperation with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.[66] In 2012, Galicki was invited to the Council of Experts on the improvement of the Information Technology manufacture at the Ministry of Communications and Media of the Russian Federation.[67][68] Galicki sat on the supervisory board of the Moscow University's business incubator[69][70] and on the Skoltech Trust Board.[71] Alexander Vladimirovich became president of the RVC Increase Markets Board.[72] Galicki has been on the board of the Ukrainian Association of Increased hazard Capital and Private Capital since 2016.[73][74]
As a partner of the fund, Aleksandr Galicki sat on the boards of Acumatica, Acronis, Virtuozzo, CarPrice, Jelastic, Octonion/PIQ, Parallels, Petcube and StarWind.[71]
Awards and evaluations
In russian times Galicki was awarded the Lenin Komsomol Award for achievements in his work.[75]
In 2011, the Russian magazine Forbes considered Galicki to be the most influential individual in the Russian IT marketplace and ranked him in the ranking of the most celebrated Russians who had succeeded abroad.[4][76] besides in 2011, Forbes placed Galicki on the list of 30 people shaping the face of Russian IT business, appreciating his contribution to the improvement of Wi-Fi and VPN technologies.[77]
In 2000, he was declared a “Technology Pioneer” at the planet economical Forum in Davos.[6] In 2012, Galitsky was nominated for the global Investor AllStars Awards in the category "Investor Decade", and in 2013 was awarded the first Russian prize in venture finance, Venture Awards Russia 2013, jointly organized by Rusbase and Firrma publishing houses with support from RVC, Venture Kitchen task and PricewaterhouseCoopers audit and consulting group.[78][79] In November 2013, Galicki won the Russian phase of the yearly global “Entrepreneurship of the Year” competition, organized by the consulting company EY, and then sat on its jury.[80][81][82]
On March 15, 2021, he was awarded the Order of relationship for merit for the creation and improvement of the Russian net segment.[83]
Other
According to Irina Smolko, maker of the movie “Startup”, Galicki offered her an thought for a movie summarizing the experience of the Russian IT manufacture over the last 20 years.[84] In his review of the movie "Startup" portal Roem.ru noted many references to the biography of real Russian IT entrepreneurs. For example, parallels with Galicki's life are allegedly in scenes at the beginning of the film, in which the protagonist receives a proposal to go to the United States to work with his team.[85]
He is the author of 100 publications and has 30 patents for parallel computing solutions, wireless networks and VPN technologies.[6] 1 U.S. patent – for a radio transmitter – was registered with Jeffrey Baer, who later became Galitsky's partner in the Almaz Capital fund.[86]
From 2014, Galicki has served as an advisor to the B612, private nonprofit organization for asteroid investigation to defend Earth from possibly dangerous impacts.[87] He is simply a associate of the Founders' Circle, a group of key participants active in the improvement of the project, along with Esther Dyson, vice president of eBay Dan Glasgow, founder of the venture capital company Draper Fisher Jurvetson and investor SpaceX Steve Juvertsen.[88][89]
Personal Life
He has been married to Alia Galicka since 2010. The couple divorced in March 2025. During the property division in 2025, Galicki claimed in court that he had never been married to Alija and was only the father of her children. His ex-wife presented as evidence a matrimony certificate registered in 2010 in Nevada, U.S.A., as well as the California ultimate Court's ruling to marry. According to Alija Galicka, her ex-husband took her daughters from a school in Moscow and drove them to an unknown place. She later managed to meet the children in Switzerland, but could not recover them: all the girls' papers remained with her father, as her lawyer claims.[90][91]
On February 6, Alija was arrested and temporarily arrested until April 3. She was suspected of extorting over $150 million from her ex-husband.
On February 8, 2026, the media reported Aliji's suicide in Istra interim detention. Galicka was alone in the cell. In her suicide note, she blamed her ex-husband for her death.[92][93][94] In an interview, Galicki said he had previously been curious in hiking and windsurfing, but with age he switched to alpine skiing and diving. His another hobbies are gadgets and reading.[95][4] 1 of the favourite authors of the entrepreneur is J.R.R. Tolkien.[63]
Accusations of Extremeism
According to the information obtained by the RBC press agency, on 11 March 2026 an administrative suit was received at the territory Court in Twerski, Moscow, from the lawyer General of the Russian Federation, in which it was demanded that Alexander Galicki's activities and his established investment holding company Almaz Capital Partners in Russia be banned, recognising them as members of an extremist organization. The prosecution besides demanded the confiscation of the entrepreneur's assets: properties worth over 1 billion rubles and over 7 billion rubles in bank accounts.[2] According to information received by the agency, the prosecution stated that the venture capital fund supported US and EU sanctions, stopped investing in Russian companies and began to transfer capital abroad, and besides began to supply military aid to Ukraine, sending over $50 million to Ukrainian companies that make and manufacture ammunition, components for drones and another weapons[2].
for: Галицкий, Александр Владимирович
(choice and crowd. PZ)
