The UK government has indefinitely detained two private jets belonging to sanctioned Russian oligarch Eugene Shvidler in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
It comes after Shvidler, a close associate and business partner of Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich, was sanctioned on a new list of measures aimed at 65 Russian oligarchs, banks and defence companies published on Thursday.
The two jets have been under investigation at Farnborough and Biggin Hill airports for three weeks. But on Saturday the transport secretary said he had signed new laws to impound the jets and that make it a criminal offence for sanctioned plane owners to move or fly their aircraft.
“Since Putin began his illegal assault, I’ve held jets belonging to Eugene Shvidler under investigation for three weeks. Now, I am using my powers to detain them indefinitely,” tweeted Grant Shapps.
“Putin’s friends who made millions out of his regime will not enjoy luxuries whilst innocent people die.”
Shvidler was a former boss and shareholder in Abramovich’s steel company, Evraz PLC.
According to the government, his net worth has been estimated at £1.2bn.
The UK government described Shvidler as a “longstanding business partner” of Abramovich, and that through his shares in Evraz, he had “been involved in obtaining a benefit from or supporting the government of Russia”.
According to the Times, the two jets are a $45m (£34m) Bombardier Global 6500 jet, registered as an LX-Fly, which has been impounded at Farnborough airport. The other is a $13m (£9.8m) Cessna Citation Latitude jet at Biggin Hill.
A private helicopter belonging to Russian company HeliCo Group LLC has also reportedly been seized.
Shapps said in a statement: “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.”
The latest legislation means that all planes owned, operated or chartered by Russians are not permitted to fly or land in the UK.
Russian ships have also been banned from entering British ports, with at least 10 ships reportedly having been turned away. The Department for Transport is also looking at a “small number” of yachts moored in the UK with suspected links to Russia.
They are among a range of sanctions imposed by western countries in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
