How Abramovich and the oligarchs could reclaim their UK mansions thanks to Trump

5 comments

1. A week after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, [Roman Abramovich](https://inews.co.uk/topic/roman-abramovich?ico=in-line_link) bid farewell to Chelsea FC – and in so doing the rest of his glittering assets in Britain – with a parting wish. He said: “I hope that I will be able to visit Stamford Bridge one last time to say goodbye to all of you in person.”

   Almost exactly three years later, the famously reticent plutocrat – widely regarded as perhaps [Russia’s most high-profile oligarch](https://inews.co.uk/news/long-reads/russia-oligarchs-western-sanctions-war-ukraine-putin-1810728?ico=in-line_link) – remains an elusive figure and a name at the heart of the debate on the effectiveness of efforts to slam Britain’s doors in the face of those regarded as close to Russian President Vladimir Putin with repeated [salvoes of sanctions](https://inews.co.uk/topic/sanctions-against-russia?ico=in-line_link).

   The [sanctioned billionaire](https://inews.co.uk/news/roman-abramovich-vladimir-putin-chelsea-ukraine-russia-sanctions-1510567?ico=in-line_link) (described by the UK Government as a “pro-Kremlin oligarch”) this week once more found himself in the headlines following the insistence of ministers that – despite nearly three years of deadlock – they were proceeding “at pace” with efforts to secure an agreement to deploy the net proceeds of Abramovich’s sale of Chelsea FC in a charitable fund to help victims of the [Ukraine war](https://inews.co.uk/topic/russia-ukraine-war?ico=in-line_link).

   Despite Abramovich’s pledge in March 2022 to put the £2.5bn he netted from his [disposal of the Premiership side](https://inews.co.uk/news/chelsea-confirm-4-25billion-sale-todd-boehly-will-be-complete-on-monday-1656754?ico=in-line_link) into an independently administered fund to help “all victims of the war”, the money remains stranded in a Barclays bank account amid wrangling between the Government and the administrators of the putative foundation over where it can operate.

   The 58-year-old oligarch, who famously almost never gives interviews and is now thought to [spend his time moving between Russia, Turkey and Israel](https://inews.co.uk/news/where-roman-abramovich-now-what-former-chelsea-owner-done-leaving-uk-3507009?ico=in-line_link), has long vigorously disputed his designation by the UK and other Western governments as an ally of Putin and has fought unsuccessfully to have the sanctions against him removed. After losing one such case a year ago, he released a statement insisting he “does not have the ability” to influence the Kremlin and has not benefited from the Ukraine war.

2. Quelle surprise that it’s the Attorney General who’s acting in the interests of a foreign power

3. Isn’t abromovich on Putins’ bad side anyway? I know it doesn’t excuse every bad thing he did to become an oligarch in the first place, but surely breaking ranks with Putin on Ukraine is worthy of some praise. Yet because of his high profile, Chelsea FC ownership, he gets to be the face of the Russian oligarchy forever, I suppose?

4. Boo hoo. He’s an oligarch, so it’s not his money anyway! All taken by exploiting the Russian people.

   We should be doing the same for all oligarch assets in Europe. Oligarchs own alot of London, and can quite honestly get fucked.

5. Not if they are reduced to rubble and flats for the homeless built on the land

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