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Russia's richest people added $72 billion to their fortunes over the past year, taking their collective wealth to $577 billion, Forbes reported on Tuesday, with Vagit Alekperov, former president of oil major Lukoil , taking Russia's top spot. In 2021, before Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Forbes had estimated the total wealth of Russian billionaires at $606 billion. High commodity prices in the past two years and Russia's war-focused economic growth stifling the impact of Western sanctions have aided a recovery towards that figure. Many Russian billionaires fell under Western sanctions as the West sought to punish President Vladimir Putin and those deemed close to him for launching the war in Ukraine. Their total wealth dropped to $353 billion in 2022. Alekperov's fortune rose to $28.6 billion from $20.5 billion over the past year, Forbes said. He took first place in Russia from now seventh-placed Andrei Melnichenko, who made his fortune in fertilizers and whose worth fell to $21.1 billion from $25.2 billion. Forbes said there were now more billionaires worldwide than ever, with 2,781 in total and the top 20 accounting for most of the gains in wealth. Alekperov came in 59th place globally. (Reuters)