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Russian tycoon and Norilsk co-owner files for divorce

Russian businessman Vladimir Potanin, CEO of the Russian mining company Norilsk Nickel, arrives for an extraordinary general meeting held in Moscow March 11, 2013. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian tycoon Vladimir Potanin, who owns a stake in Norilsk Nickel, has filed for divorce from his wife Natalya, according to documents on the website of a Moscow court which rules on civil cases. Potanin is ranked seventh in the Forbes list of Russian billionaires with a fortune of $14.3 billion. He owns a 30-percent stake in Norilsk, the world's largest nickel and palladium producer with a market value of $26 billion. "The marriage is over," a spokesman for Potanin's investment vehicle Interros told Reuters. He declined to be named according to the company's policy. The spokesman could not comment on whether there would be any impact on Potanin's assets or whether the couple had a pre-nuptial agreement. The division of property in Russia as a consequence of divorce would require a separate claim to be filed, said one lawyer. Alexander Dobrovinsky, a Russian lawyer who is not representing either side, told Reuters that he believes there will be no division of property between Potanin and his wife, without stating a reason. Potanin, 52, has three children. The tycoon has said several times that there would be no inheritance of his fortune as he intends to hand it to charity. (Reporting by Polina Devitt; editing by Megan Davies)