LONDON (Parliament Politics Magazine) – The government of Britain has seized private jets which belong to a sanctioned Russian businessman, indefinitely.
For three weeks, the two jets which belong to billionaire oil mogul Eugene Shvidler were being investigated at Farnborough and Biggin Hill airports.
“Putin’s friends” should not “enjoy luxuries” while innocent people die in Ukraine, said the Transport Secretary Grant Shapps in a statement.
Mr. Shvidler was fined because he had connections with the Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramovich.
Mr Shvidler, who is a former leader and shareholder in Mr Roman Abramovich’s steel business Evraz PLC, was linked to a person benefiting from or supporting the government of Russia, according to the officials.
Luxury toys
Following the government’s estimation, £1.2 billion, and the jets that are seized, valued up to $60 million (£45 million) is his net worth that it has estimated.Â
“Introducing these latest measures – detaining tens of millions of pounds worth of Russian private jets – shows this government will leave no stone unturned in depriving Putin’s cronies of their luxury toys” Mr Shapps said in a statement.
A private helicopter which belongs to HeliCo Group LLC, which is a Russian company, has also been detained.
Western countries opposed to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine have imposed a slew of sanctions aimed at crippling the economy of Russia and hurting the wealthiest residents of the country.
It is now against the law for planes that are owned, operated, or hired by Russians to land or fly in the UK, private jets included.Â
It is claimed by Ukraine that Russia had been dealt “powerful blows” and suffered “major losses.”
However, the army of Russia made an announcement that its military campaign’s first phase in Ukraine has come to an end, and that now it will focus on the eastern Donbas region.
