Morgan Stanley and Allen & Overy helping oligarch’s efforts to seize Russian oil firm

Exclusive: Sergey Kolesnikov has supplied building materials to Russian military and for use in occupied Ukraine

An oligarch who has supplied building materials to the Russian military machine and for construction in occupied areas of Ukraine is being assisted by Morgan Stanley and Allen & Overy in his attempt to gain control of a huge Russian oil asset, the Guardian can reveal.

Sergey Kolesnikov, originally from Russia but now a Maltese citizen under its “golden passport” scheme is estimated to be worth $1.2bn (£940m) as a result of the building materials business he co-founded.