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Britain[/B] has already announced sanctions against Russian oligarchs and banks since February 22, and new sanctions are expected to be announced, with Roman Abramovich also appearing to be targeted by British authorities, according to reports from the UK.
The billionaire Chelsea owner is seen as one of the "key players" in Vladimir Putin's regime.
British authorities want to make it difficult for him to stay in the country, while officials have been instructed to make it impossible for the Russian tycoon to settle permanently.
The Russian billionaire has not been seen at his club's Stamford Bridge stadium in southwest London for months.
In fact, he withdrew his application for a British Tier 1 investment visa in 2018, as its issuance was delayed following the Skripal poisonings in Salisbury, an incident that led to a freeze in West-Moscow relations.
According to the British Sun newspaper, senior security sources believe it is unlikely that 55-year-old Abramovich will ever be allowed to stay in Britain again.
In particular, officials of the British Immigration Service have been instructed to make it impossible for Abramovich, who maintains a £125 million mansion near Kensington Palace, to settle in the UK again.
[BR][BR]In fact, his file has reportedly been taken over by the "Special Affairs Unit" of the British Home Office.
Navalny's allegations
This development comes after allegations. Abramovich was named as one of 35 Russian oligarchs pointed out by Alexei Navalny (a central figure in the opposition in Russia) as one of the "key players" in the Putin regime.
Abramovich's vast fortune includes, among other things, a number of luxury yachts, including the £450 million Solaris, which has a missile detection system.
What Abramovich claims
For his part, the Russian billionaire categorically denies allegations of close ties with the Kremlin and stresses that he has not done anything that would dictate the imposition of sanctions against him. He did, however, acquire Israeli citizenship in 2018 to secure his entry into the UK for 6 months. He travelled to London in the same way last October.
What about the permanent visa
British sources say that should Abramovich attempt to obtain a permanent visa, it "will almost certainly be rejected". After all, the notorious Russian oligarch never managed to obtain British citizenship, and his untold wealth came about as a result of the purchase of infrastructure and assets in the USSR, which he had previously acquired from the state.
Meanwhile, his entry into English football began in 2003, resulting in the rapid rise of his team, Chelsea, since then, with the technical assistance of Jose Mourinho.
But when Liberal MP Leila Moran read out a list of names of Russian oligarchs, including that of Abramovich, in the House of Commons the day before yesterday, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss refrained from commenting specifically, commenting that "we have a long list of those who are complicit in the actions of the Russian leadership".
Johnson Announces New Sanctions
For his part, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced a new round of sanctions so as to put pressure on powerful Russian companies and individuals with open channels with the Kremlin.
It is expected that the new sanctions will prevent Russian banks, oligarchs, and Russian individuals from raising money in the London markets.
On top of that, the British government is also launching a ban on Moscow's access to borrowing from the UK's financial markets.
In fact, Tory MP Bob Seeley assessed that the "wave of dirty money" that entered the UK from Russia had "damaged" the country, while Labour leader Keir Starmer pointed out that the "era of impunity for oligarchs" must end so that "this country will no longer be home to their loot".
Source: in.gr
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