Britain has threatened to take Russian businessman Roman Abramovich to court over the frozen 2.5 billion pounds in proceeds from his sale of Chelsea soccer club that he wanted to go to victims of Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Britain sanctioned Abramovich in a crackdown on Russian oligarchs after Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, triggering a rushed sale of the Premier League club and freezing of the proceeds.
The sanctions, imposed due to his alleged close ties to the Kremlin, were part of a broader effort to isolate Russian oligarchs and limit their global financial influence.
While the UK government insists that the funds be used exclusively for humanitarian relief in Ukraine, Abramovich has maintained that the money should support “all victims of the war in Ukraine” a broader interpretation that could include those in Russian-occupied territories or even Russian nationals.
The disagreement has led to a prolonged stalemate over the distribution of the funds, prompting UK officials to consider legal proceedings to enforce their position and ensure the money directly benefits those affected by Russia’s aggression in Ukraine.
In a joint statement, Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Foreign Secretary David Lammy declared: “While the door for negotiations will remain open, we are fully prepared to pursue this through the courts if required.”
“The government is determined to see the proceeds from the sale of Chelsea Football Club reach humanitarian causes in Ukraine, following Russia’s illegal full-scale invasion. We are deeply frustrated that it has not been possible to reach agreement on this with Mr Abramovich so far,” they said.
Abramovich has long been alleged to have close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin, accusations he has consistently denied.
Despite these denials, his sanctioned status and the ongoing disagreement over the intended use of the funds have prolonged the legal and diplomatic impasse surrounding one of the largest charitable commitments tied to the war in Ukraine.
When Roman Abramovich announced his decision to sell Chelsea Football Club, he stated that the proceeds would be donated through a foundation “for the benefit of all victims of the war in Ukraine”
However, the UK government has firmly pushed back against this broader interpretation, maintaining that the £2.5 billion should be used exclusively for humanitarian efforts within Ukraine.
