Andrei Borodin, a fugitive Russian bank chairman granted political asylum in the UK, has claimed he was persecuted by the Kremlin and called on the international community to stop dealing with Russia until it reforms its legal system.

In his first UK interview since receiving asylum in February, Mr Borodin (45) said he was only safe in Britain after alleging he was pressured to sell his stake in a bank he founded, Bank of Moscow, as part of a state asset grab.

Russian authorities have requested an international arrest warrant for Mr Borodin via Interpol to answer fraud charges – which he says were politically motivated. “It was not prosecution, but persecution,” Mr Borodin said.

The ex-banker joins a growing band of Russians granted asylum in the UK. The press secretary for Russian premier Dmitry Medvedev insisted Mr Borodin faced “ordinary criminal” charges.