Roman Abramovich loses third attempt to overturn EU sanctions

The EU's General Court has dismissed Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich's attempt to challenge sanctions imposed on him due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The court upheld the asset freezes and travel restrictions against the former Chelsea Football Club owner, which were extended by the EU Council until September 2025 and March 2026.

Abramovich, who is a Russian, Israeli, and Portuguese national, is the majority shareholder in Evraz, a major Russian steel and mining group, and owns shares in Norilsk Nickel, a leading producer of palladium and refined nickel. The EU court affirmed that its sanctions were objective, precise, and proportionate, targeting prominent businesspeople, particularly those involved in sectors generating significant revenue for the Russian government.

The court dismissed Abramovich's claim that the EU was targeting him due to his public profile, stating that sanctions were imposed because of his capital holdings, not his public notoriety. The court also rejected the argument that the measures were decided by EU Council working groups rather than EU governments directly. The EU sanctions comply with EU law and the Charter of Fundamental Rights, and are proportionate to the goal of supporting a peaceful resolution to the war in Ukraine.

Abramovich can appeal to the Court of Justice of the EU within two months and 10 days from the judgment notification. He is also under U.K. sanctions, where the government has seized £2.5 billion from the sale of his Chelsea Football Club in 2022, when the U.K. imposed sanctions on him for his ties to Vladimir Putin.