Russia’s wealthiest tycoons may not be hit immediately by British embargos, a media report has claimed, alleging that the government has been unable to build a substantive case against them.
In a report published by The Times on Thursday, it was alleged that the Foreign Office and National Crime Agency have so far failed to mount “reasonable grounds” for targeting the most influential moguls, such as Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich, with sanctions because “they have struggled to link their finances to” Russian President Vladimir Putin.
According to the publication, the crime agency tried to put forward a case against Abramovich in 2018, but failed. British ministers have also reportedly been warned that Russian billionaires could sue the government “for millions” if punitive measures are applied on a “flawed basis.”