One property belongs to a Russian Parliamentary member
Italian officials have seized villas and yachts owned by five Russian oligarchs, with the absolute value totalling a staggering $156m.
Amid continued sanctions from Western nations and renewed pressure from world leaders, Italian police seized Sardinia, Lake Como and Tuscany properties from Russian billionaires.
A list issued by Prime Minister Mario Draghi’s office showed a number of high-value objects belonging to various Russian oligarchs, reports Reuters. A luxury villa on the island of Sardinia belonging to Alisher Usmanov was taken, along with a 17th-century house near the Tuscan city of Lucca owned by Russian Parliamentary member Oleg Savchenko.
The Lady M yacht, owned by Russia’s richest man Alexey Mordashov was also seized. Gennady Timchenko, a close associate of Russian President and Judo champion Vladimir Putin, also had his yacht impounded.
Italy’s police has just seized “Lady M Yacht” – a €65m yacht belonging to Alexey Alexandrovits Mordaschov located in Imperia (Liguria) – in compliance with the recent EU sanctions. pic.twitter.com/8NzqkXH7lE
— Ferdinando Giugliano (@FerdiGiugliano) March 4, 2022
State TV host Vladimir Solovyov also had properties totalling €8m taken.
Speaking to The Daily Beast, Solovyov scathed: “Suddenly someone makes a decision that this journalist is now on the list of sanctions. And right away it affects your real estate. Wait a minute. But you told us that Europe has sacred property rights.”
I don’t understand why we haven’t seized a single Putin oligarch yacht, palace or serious asset yet. Unlike our European neighbours.
— Chris Bryant (@RhonddaBryant) March 3, 2022
While the seizing of assets is an undeniably huge part of the West’s attack on Russia, businesses across the globe are also gearing up to impose their own restrictions on Russia. On Friday, Microsoft announced it would be “suspending all sales” of products and services in Russia, citing that they are “horrified, angered and saddened by the images and news coming from the war in Ukraine.”
Instead of shelling out millions for a new Royal Yacht we could use one of The Oligarchs we seize?
— Barbara (@BarbaraSutton15) March 3, 2022
Supermarkets are also playing their part, with Sainsbury’s having renamed the “chicken kiev” to “chicken kyiv” to better represent the Ukrainian spelling. The co-op was also among the supermarkets removing Russian vodka from its shelves, reasoning that “Our thoughts are with the people of Ukraine, and those in Russia who oppose this invasion.”
Related links:
- Russian troops disobey orders to shell Ukrainian homes, intelligence claims
- Roman Abramovich ‘has shares in company that helps build Russian tanks’
- Tory MP says UK doesn’t need to do more for Ukraine – as ‘we’ve done our bit with migration’
