Russian billionaires are coming back strong

According to the annual rankings of the richest Russians published by Finans magazine, Russia now has 114 billionaires.

Vladimir Lisin (picture left) tops the list with a net worth of $28 billion. He is described as "the low profile chairman" of NLMK Steel.

Second on the list is Mikhail Prokhorov with a $22 billion net worth. Avid readers of the Think Billions blog will know Mikhail as the new hapless owner of the New Jersey Nets with their even more hapless attempt at landing Carmelo Anthony. Regardless of the management and basketball strategies of the New Jersey Nets, Prokhorov has tripled his net worth over the last three years.

Third on the list is Alisher Usmanov of Metalloinvest another metals company. He is also a shareholder in the Arsenal Football Club.

More billionaires hit with margin calls

Forbes, in its November 17 issue, identified the following five global billionaires hit with substantial margin calls:

Aubrey McClendon
- sold most of his shares in Chesapeake Energy for well over a $1 billion loss

Sumner Redstone
- dumped half his shares in Viacom and CBS, at half its value just a couple of months ago

Oleg Deripaska
- sold $1.5 billion of Magna Intl. and Hochtief for a net loss

Alisher Usmanov
- is "forced to give back a stake now worth $700 million in ... Gazprom"

Kostyantin Zhevago
- the Ukranian billionaire unloaded 21% of Ferrexpo at a sizeable loss