The European Union imposed sanctions Tuesday on Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich as part of a new package of measures targeting Russia and President Vladimir Putin's close allies.
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The EU included the Chelsea Football Club owner in its updated list of individuals facing assets freeze and travel bans over their role in the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Abramovich's lawyers said there is no basis for alleging he has amassed very substantial wealth through criminality.
The latest sanctions follow three rounds of punitive measures against Russia, which include freezing of assets of the Russian central bank, exclusion from the SWIFT banking system of some Russian and Belarusian banks, and the asset freeze of oligarchs and top politicians, including Putin and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
EU companies will also be no longer allowed to export to Russia any luxury goods worth more than €300 ($330), including precious stones, crystal, caviar, wine, handbags, leather products, shoes and coats. Exports of cars costing more than €50,000 will also be banned, Brussels said.
This is intended to impact the lifestyle of Russia's elites, an EU official said.
Abramovich, 55, had already been punished in Britain by Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government last week. The aluminum magnate was among seven wealthy Russians who had their assets frozen under British sanctions in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
He has also been suspended as the director of the Premier League club.
The EU said Abramovich "has had privileged access to the [Russian] president, and has maintained very good relations with him. This connection with the Russian leader helped him to maintain his considerable wealth."
The European Council added 15 individuals and nine entities to its list of people and bodies sanctioned.
According to the 27-nation bloc, Abramovich's connection with Putin helped him maintain his fortune, while the oligarch's economic activities provided substantial revenues to the Russian government.
"He is a major shareholder of the steel group Evraz, which is one of Russia's largest taxpayers," the European Council said. "He has therefore been benefiting from Russian decision-makers responsible for the annexation of Crimea or the destabilization of Ukraine."
Abramovich jetted into Moscow on Tuesday after taking off from Istanbul in his private jet, according to FLIGHTRADAR24 data. A source familiar with the matter said he was not in Russia to meet with Putin.
It was the second trip a jet linked to the oligarch has made between the Turkish city of Istanbul and the Russian capital in the past three days. On Monday, he was spotted in the VIP lounge at Tel Aviv airport before the jet took off for Istanbul.
In addition to his Russian and Israeli passports, Abramovich also holds Portuguese citizenship, so it was unclear how a travel ban within the EU would affect his capacity to move freely in the region.
According to Channel 12 News, Israel prevented Abramovich from keeping his private jet at the national airport, a decision consistent with the international measures against him.
"Israel will not be a route to bypass sanctions imposed on Russia by the United States and other Western countries," Foreign Minister Yair Lapid declared Monday during a stop in Slovakia.
Abramovich's attempt to sell Chelsea Football Club was halted when Britain announced sanctions, as under the sanctions, the assets of Abramovich and other oligarchs are to be frozen.
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