Ukraine Invasion: Chelsea Owner Abramovich Sanctioned By UK Government

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has been sanctioned by the UK government as part of its response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, BBC reports.

Abramovich is one of seven oligarchs to be hit with fresh sanctions, including asset freezes and travel bans.

The list also includes billionaires Igor Sechin and Oleg Deripaska, both seen as allies of Russian president Vladimir Putin.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said “there can be no safe havens” for those who have supported the invasion.

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The reigning Champions League holders cannot sell any more tickets for games, its merchandise shop will be closed, and it will be unable to buy or sell players on the transfer market.

The government said it would issue a special licence that allows fixtures to be fulfilled, staff to be paid and existing ticket holders to attend matches.

Ministers have come under pressure to sanction Abramovich, who said he had made the “difficult decision” to sell Chelsea FC earlier this month.

The football club is among the assets frozen as part of the sanctions against Mr Abramovich and its sale has now been stalled.

But the BBC understands the government would consider allowing Abramovich to apply for a special licence to sell the club, providing he can prove he would not benefit from the sale.

The 55-year-old is alleged to have strong ties to Putin, which he has denied.

The government says Abramovich, who has an estimated net worth of £9.4bn, is “one of the few oligarchs from the 1990s to maintain prominence under Putin”.

He has stakes in steel giant Evraz and Norilsk Nickel. He sold a 73% stake in Russian oil firm Sibneft to state-owned gas titan Gazprom for £9.87bn in 2005.

He is believed to own a number of properties in the UK, including a 15-bedroom mansion at Kensington Palace Gardens in west London, reportedly valued at more than £150m.