Britain is preparing to seize yachts and jets from five Russian billionaires

The UK has imposed additional sanctions on nine Russians, increasing their transport restrictions. Yachts, planes and other vehicles will be confiscated from them, Kommersant reports, citing a list published by the British government.

The sanctions will be tightened in particular against five members of the Forbes Billionaires List:

• Viktor Vekselberg ($6.8 billion);
• Arkady Rotenberg ($3.5 billion);
• Gennady Timchenko ($18.5 billion);
• Viktor Rashnikov, the main owner of the Magnitogorsk Steelworks and Steelworks (USD 10.2 billion);
• businessman Said Kerimov, son of Senator Suleiman Kerimov (the senator’s family fortune is estimated at USD 10.5 billion; after the start of the war in Ukraine, Suleiman Kerimov transferred a significant part of his fortune to Said).

The document also indicates the tightening of sanctions against the president of Rosoboronexport, Alexander Mikheev, the president of VTB Bank Andrei Kostin, and Marina Sechin, the ex-wife of Rosneft CEO Igor Sechin. In addition, restrictions on the Ukrainian politician Viktor Medvedchuk, who is staying in Russia, have been tightened.

Earlier, on July 17, Lonon imposed sanctions on several Russian officials and public figures, including Education Minister Sergei Kravtsov, Culture Minister Olga Lubimova and the Artek International Children’s Center. In total, since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the UK has frozen the assets of Russian citizens worth more than 18 billion pounds ($23 billion) and imposed sanctions on more than 1,550 Russian citizens.

The British government has announced that the sanctions will be maintained until Russia pays compensation to Ukraine. British Foreign Secretary James Cleverley noted that Ukraine’s needs remain enormous. He also stressed that Russian citizens covered by sanctions and supporting Ukraine can direct their funds to the reconstruction of this country, but sanctions relief will not be offered for this.