His ex-wife was, by her own admission, ‘high maintenance’ with an obsession with buying high end designer goods including a collection of handbags worth £1 million alone.
And when they split up – before she went on to date Tom Cruise – Russian Tycoon Dmitry Tsvetkov was ordered to pay ex-wife Elsina Khayrova a lump sum of £7 million plus an equal share of their £48 million net assets.
This sparked a fire sale that has so far included his collection of paintings by the likes of Picasso and Renoir, a car collection featuring two Ferraris, two Bentleys, a Rolls Royce and a Porsche and a portfolio of luxury properties.
Now – as he puts his pride and joy Surrey mansion on the market for £60 million – Tsvetkov has given MailOnline an extraordinarily candid interview in which he details how the divorce has decimated his lavish lifestyle.
And, in perhaps the toughest pitch he will ever make, asks readers to feel some sympathy over how he has been forced to scale back his spending.
Tsvetkov, 45 invited us to join him at that mansion, Dawn Hill, a stunning ten-bedroom home on the exclusive Wentworth estate in Surrey which he once shared with Elsina as a country getaway from their £18 million London home.
He wanted to explain what it’s like to be see your fortune halved almost overnight – which is what he saiad happened to him at the climax of his bitter three-year divorce battle.
He was ordered to pay Ms Khayrova a lump sum of close to £7 million plus £100,000 per year in maintenance for their two children, son Tamir and daughter Eva.
Russian Tycoon Dmitry Tsvetkovin, 45, pictured in front of his mansion, Dawn Hill – a stunning ten-bedroom home on the exclusive Wentworth estate in Surrey
Mr Tsvetkov was formerly married to ex-wife Elsina Khayrova (pictured), who later went on to date film star Tom Cruise
The Russian tycoon (pictured here on his wedding day) was ordered to pay ex-wife Elsina Khayrova a lump sum of £7 million plus an equal share of their £48 million net assets
Set in landscaped gardens, the Wentworth home boasts its own pool, spa, wine cellar, cinema rooms and his and her bathrooms with £30,000 Parisian crystal taps. Mr Tsvetkov purchased it in 2017 for an estimated £25 million and spent another £5 million refurbishing it
The luxurious mansion also has its own underground car park with enough space for ten cars
But the settlement, he says, said they would share £24 million each from their realisable assets.
While the judge allowed him to keep their luxurious Surrey bolthole, he was ordered to take on the mortgage repayments of £50,000 per month plus all the running costs. She was allowed to retain their London home.
And Mr Tsvetkov claims that the ruling saw him financially hit much harder after spending millions of pounds during the marriage to keep his wife happy.
Mr Tsvetkov was also left facing a combined mortgage of around £30 million on various properties that the couple owned.
In addition, they also owned lavish homes in Cyprus and Dubai plus other assets which were not part of the divorce settlement, and which Mr Tsvetkov claims he has lost out on.
His ex-wife was also allowed to keep close to £1 million worth of handbags with Ms Khayrova hitting the headlines during their split after claims that she hid them along with other assets from her ex-husband.
Mr Tsvetkov told MailOnline: ‘Given the tens of millions I spent during the marriage on maintaining our lifestyle, and the millions it costs me since splitting, £24 million is not a lot of money. Most of this was also in assets so I literally had no cash.
‘I know a lot of people won’t understand what I’m talking about because I still lead a great life and they might think that I’ve no right to complain. But this is my equivalent of a cost-of-living crisis because I’m having to sell off my treasured assets and make other cutbacks.’
Prior to putting Dawn Hill up for sale, Mr Tsvetkov held a fire sale of his artwork which was made up of Picassos, Renoirs and Chagalls. His entire collection was worth around £25 million, he claims, but says he he sold it as a ‘job lot’ for £12.5 million to raise money quickly.
Also gone is his collection of luxury cars, including two Ferraris, a Rolls Royce, a Porsche and two Bentleys. They were worth close to a combined £2 million but Mr Tsvetkov sold them as a job lot for £0.7 million.
He revealed that he now owns just two Mercedes G-Wagons, a Bentley, which is used to take his son Tamir, 15 to school and two beloved golf buggies.
Elsina Khayrova attends the Summer Ladies Lunch in support of Nadezda charitable foundation at Mortons on June 5, 2018 in London
Elsina Khayrova’s relationship with Tom Cruise became public in late 2023 and ended in early 2024
Without any hint of irony, Mr Tsvetkov shared how he is making other cutbacks in his day-to-day living. At one point in his life, he was worth close to £300 million but now estimates that this is ‘below £50 million,’ blaming his marriage and divorce for his drastically reduced net worth
Without any hint of irony, Mr Tsvetkov shared how he is making other cutbacks in his day-to-day living. At one point in his life, he was worth close to £300 million but now estimates that this is ‘below £50 million,’ blaming his marriage and divorce.
He said: ‘I don’t travel now at all when primarily before I only used private jets. I don’t buy any expensive items of clothing, except for golf clothes because I love playing it. I have stopped investing in art and don’t buy any cars.
‘And also following the divorce, I don’t buy any expensive jewellery or Hermes or Chanel handbags as I don’t have to support my wife so there are a lot of savings in that.’
But he considers Dawn Hill to have been the ‘jewel in the crown’ of his assets – and says that he would only be prepared to part with it for an offer of ‘upwards of £60 million.’
Mr Tsvetkov took MailOnline on an exclusive tour of the lavish home, which is being privately marketed with potential buyers extensively vetted to prove that they have the financial means to buy it before they are allowed to see it.
Set in landscaped gardens it boasts its own pool, spa, wine cellar, cinema rooms and underground car park with enough space for ten cars. It also contains his and her bathrooms with £30,000 Parisian crystal taps. Mr Tsvetkov purchased it in 2017 for an estimated £25 million and spent another £5 million refurbishing it.
He said: ‘It’s a beautiful weekend home, one of the finest on the Wentworth estate and I love spending time here with my kids. It breaks my heart to part with it, but I have big business plans for the future and the only way I can fulfil them is to sell some of my assets.’
Ms Khayrova is the daughter of Russian politician Rinat Khayrova, who is thought to earn £105,000-a-year as a member of President Putin’s party.
She hit the headlines while dating Tom Cruise in late 2023 after being spotted canoodling with him at a Mayfair party but they split last February just days after he met her children.
During their brief three-month romance, Mr Tsvetkov warned the actor: ‘Irrespective of whoever she’s with, Tom Cruise or anybody else, they should be aware that she likes the finer things in life and has expensive and luxurious taste. Tom should keep his eyes and wallet wide open.’
Prior to putting Dawn Hill up for sale, Mr Tsvetkov held a fire sale of his artwork which was made up of work by hugely expensive artists including Picasso and Renoir
A painting by Marc Chagall belonging to Mr Tsvetkov. His entire collection was worth around £25 million, he claims, but says he he sold it as a ‘job lot’ for £12.5 million to raise money quickly
An artwork of Marilyn Monroe by Andy Warhol
During the couple’s divorce hearing, the judge noted in his judgment: ‘There is no real dispute that the parties enjoyed what most people would describe as a fabulous standard of living; they deployed their wealth to acquire properties in multiple jurisdictions, they acquired high end cars and expensive jewellery and art, they flew regularly in private jets, and enjoyed luxurious holidays.’
Mr Tsvetkov made his wealth in diamonds and mining but has fallen foul of powerful figures in Russia including President Putin. He is on the Kremlin’s most wanted list after being accused of attempting to defraud the Russian Ministry of Defence.
Mr Tsvetkov became a British citizen in 2010 along with his wife but retains his Russian passport and also has Cypriot nationality.
He revealed that one of the main reasons for selling Dawn Hill and his other lucrative assets is so that he can fund a number of new business ventures.
This includes Mazzarine, an exclusive sea food restaurant which will be based within the five-star Mandarin hotel in central London and is due to open later this year.
There will also be a film production company and a film studio.
He said: ‘I once heard that a great entrepreneur is not somebody who makes a lot of money but one who makes a lot of money, loses it and then makes even more again. That is going to be me.
‘I will make back all the millions that I have lost over the past few years – I can promise you that – and I am very excited about the future.’
The Surrey mansion is now on the market for £60 million
An aerial view of the mansion showing its grand driveway and extensive grounds
The mansion also includes an indoor pool complete with golden geese
The cinema room has a giant screen and seats at least ten people comfortably
The tycoon met his future wife at an exclusive bar in London’s Mayfair in April 2009 and following a whirlwind romance, married in September of the same year in The National Congress Palace in St Petersburg, which is used as a residence by Vladimir Putin when he is in the city.
Despite the financial implications of their marriage falling apart, he insists that he remains a romantic at heart and has no regrets.
Mr Tsvetkov said: ‘Eleven years of marriage cost me a lot of money, but it was worth it. If I was offered another opportunity to marry again, I would spend the same amount. My very expensive marriage and divorce has not put me off from finding love again so I’m sure that a lot of women would be interested in me.’
Ms Khayrova has been contacted for comment.
