Status: 03/10/2022 1:51 p.m
The British government has long been criticized for its lax treatment of Russian oligarchs. Now it has imposed sanctions on seven super-rich people. Among them is FC Chelsea owner Abramovich.
Britain has imposed sanctions on seven oligarchs. Those affected include Roman Abramovich, who still owns Chelsea football club, Rosneft boss Igor Sechin, who is also considered a confidant of Russian President Putin, and Gazprom boss Alexei Miller.
Their assets in the UK are to be frozen and they are to be banned from entering the country. They are no longer allowed to do business with British companies or private individuals. “Today’s sanctions show once again that oligarchs and kleptocrats have no place in our economy and society. With their close ties to Putin, they are complicit in his aggression,” said Secretary of State Liz Truss.
Igor Sechin, head of the energy company Rosneft. His assets are also to be frozen.
Image: dpa
The British Foreign Office estimates the assets of the seven sanctioned persons at a total of 17.9 billion euros and counts them among Putin’s inner circle. Some of them are already on the EU sanctions list, but not all. Abramovich, for example, has not yet been sanctioned.
So far lax dealings with oligarchs
The British government has long been criticized for its lax treatment of Russian oligarchs. Critics accuse Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s governing Tories of happily accepting donations from wealthy Russian-British dual nationals. However, Johnson denies the allegations and insists that the party donors are above suspicion.
The London real estate market and the financial center in the British capital are considered lucrative locations for investments and money laundering by the super-rich from all over the world. Even with the new sanctions, the UK is still far behind the EU and the US.
Chelsea FC are also directly affected by sanctions
Chelsea FC itself is also affected by the sanctions. The club can continue to play, but can no longer sell new tickets. Abramovich, who still owns the company, has been the focus of attention in Great Britain for weeks because of his alleged proximity to Putin. MPs in the House of Commons repeatedly called for him to be put on the sanctions list and to freeze his assets in Great Britain – in addition to the club, luxury real estate and possible money from a sale of the club.
Abramovich announced last week that he wanted to sell Chelsea and also waive current loans. Abramovich said in a statement that the proceeds from the sale will go to a charity that will benefit the victims of the war in Ukraine.