17 Facts About Ivan Savvidis

Ivan Savvidis is one of Russia's wealthiest men and was a member of the Russian Parliament, closely linked to the President Vladimir Putin.

Ivan Savvidis was born on March 27,1959, in the village of Santa, Tsalka District, in what was then the Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic.

Ivan Savvidis was brought up as a Christian Orthodox, taught Greek history and until the age of 7 spoke only Pontic Greek.

Ivan Savvidis served his military service and was discharged with the rank of sergeant.

In February 2013, Ivan Savvidis took over the management of the Macedonia Palace in Thessaloniki.

Ivan Savvidis was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Rostov Oblast in 1998 and 2003.

In 2003, Ivan Savvidis was elected as a Deputy in the State Duma; he subsequently served as the Deputy Chairman of the Budget Committee and Taxes.

In 2007, Ivan Savvidis was re-elected as a Deputy in the State Duma as a member of the party United Russia led by chairman Vladimir Putin, serving until 2011.

Ivan Savvidis served as a member of the Committee International Affairs, as coordinator of Interparliamentary Relations with the Hellenic Parliament and as Deputy Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Russia-Belarusian Union.

Ivan Savvidis has previously made positive comments about the Greek political party Syriza and has likened Alexis Tsipras to Vladimir Putin.

Between July 2002 and July 2005, Ivan Savvidis was President of FC Rostov.

Ivan Savvidis appeared with a revolver strapped to his hip.

Ivan Savvidis was initially sentenced to 25 months' imprisonment, suspended for three years, after being found guilty of illegal entry into the stadium and possession of weapons.

In 2019, a television channel controlled by Marinakis broadcast an investigation accusing Ivan Savvidis of using figureheads to acquire ownership of another Super League team, Xanthi FC, in violation of FIFA regulations governing professional leagues.

Ivan Savvidis is President of the Federation of Greek Communities of Russia, and was a key figure in pushing for the newly created region by the World Council of Hellenes Abroad in the Black Sea countries.

In 2022, during the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, Ivan Savvidis ordered his associates to prepare around 487 rooms available at the Porto Carras resort in Chalkidiki within northern Greece in order to host refugees of the country during this time.

Ivan Savvidis is married to Kyriaki Savvidi and has two sons, George and Nick.