 Russian oligarchs resent Putin. As the cracks in Russia's war on Ukraine deepen, Russian oligarchs sanctioned by the West are now saying Russian President Vladimir Putin tricked them into appearing to support his invasion of Ukraine, according to an extensive investigation published Saturday by the New York Times. Many of Putin's top advisors did not know the full extent of his plans to invade Ukraine on February 24th until they were already underway, according to the Times. Senior aides at the Kremlin were trying to read his body language, telling some that Putin had this war-like twinkle in his eyes, the paper reported. If everyone around you is telling you for 22 years that you are a super genius, then you will start to believe that this is who you are, or like Tinkov, a former Russian banking mogul who turned on Putin this year, told the Times. Russian business people, Russian officials, the Russian people, they saw a star in him. He just went nuts. As the special military operation has dragged on, some Russian oligarchs have expressed doubt and frustration after they were heavily sanctioned by Western nations as a result of their allyship with Putin the Times reported. Andrey Melnychenko, a coal and fertilizer billionaire, woke up on February 24th to madness in Ukraine, but already had a meeting scheduled with Putin for that day. Per the Times. He joined rows of other business moguls who were equally surprised by Putin's invasion. When Putin finally entered the room, he told those assembled and the camera set up behind them that he didn't have a choice about invading, per the outlet. Melnychenko told the Times that the invasion was irrational and a shock, but the damage was already done. Another business mogul at the meeting, who remained anonymous, told the paper that they had all been gathered before the cameras in an unknowing show of support for Putin's decision to invade, even if they disagreed with it. The goal of the stunt, the anonymous businessman told the Times, was specifically to tar everyone there and to get everyone sanctioned. Putin's plans, two forces' followers to have some skin in the game worked. The Times reported that dozens of business tycoons, including Melnychenko and the anonymous businessman, were hit with heavy sanctions from Western nations. In the weeks and months that followed, Russian oligarchs had their assets frozen and were banned from traveling to some countries as the ruble fell into freefall.