The European Union’s top court rejected a legal challenge from Russian tycoon Roman Abramovich against sanctions imposed on him in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, ruling that the measures were rightful and should continue.
“The General Court dismisses the action brought by Mr Abramovich, thereby upholding the restrictive measures taken against him,” the Court of Justice of the European Union ruled on Wednesday. Abramovich “failed to demonstrate” that he was unlawfully put on the list of sanctions against Russia, the court found.
Former Chelsea Football Club owner Abramovich had challenged the sanctions, asking for €1 million to make up for damages to his reputation. The court declined Abramovich’s claims for compensation, ruling that the sanctions were not an “unjustified and disproportionate infringement of his fundamental rights.”
In March 2022, sanctions were brought against Abramovich for allegedly benefiting from his close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin and for contributing to the Kremlin’s war chest. The sanctions against Abramovich were part of broader measures “aimed at increasing pressure on Russia and the cost of the latter’s actions in undermining the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine,” the court said.
Shortly after sanctions were imposed on Abramovich, he sold the English Premier League football club for the highest price ever paid for a team.
Due to Abramovich’s “role in the [multinational Russian steel producing] Evraz group and, in particular, its parent company” the sanctions remain rightful, the EU’s top court ruled.
Abramovich said he was disappointed with the court’s ruling and argued that he “does not have the ability to influence the decision making of any government, including Russia, and has in no way benefitted from the [Ukraine] war,” according to a statement seen by Reuters.
In May 2022, the U.K. also imposed sanctions on Evraz due to its strategic significance to Russia. In July this year, a billionaire ally of Abramovich, Eugene Shvidler, challenged the British sanctions against Evraz.
This story has been updated.
