Let’s assume they’re off by a factor of 10 on the lowest figure - $200 Billion. That’s $20 Billion. Factor of 100 then $2 Billion.
I am not saying they’re right or accurate. I need more than your word that Putin lives like some Russian nationalist monk.
I grant you Putin is a nationalist and wants a powerful respected if not feared Russia. He wants to restore the Imperial 1914 borders that took 400 years to make. (Poland & Finland are likely not to fall back into the Imperium.) It just strains credibility that the new “Czar” doesn’t have wealth like one.
no doubt he is quite wealthy. I think it is incidental to his larger goals. if he just wanted to get rich and retire he would have done so many years ago.
I suspect it is a combination of not having anyone he trusts and considers competent to take over fully (he did the prime minister thing a while back) and not actually wanting to stop ruling the country.