A top EU court on Wednesday rejected Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich’s third attempt to overturn sanctions against him over the war in Ukraine.
The former owner of Chelsea football club, who has close ties to the Kremlin, was added to the bloc’s asset freeze and visa ban blacklist in 2022 after Moscow’s invasion of its neighbor.
The EU’s General Court rejected Abramovich’s claims that the bloc was unfairly seeking to “exploit him on account of his public notoriety.”
It said that Abramovich was listed legally because he had stakes in metals giants Evraz and Norilsk Nickel, both of which provided “a substantial source of revenue” for the Russian government.
Abramovich, who had two previous cases rejected in 2023 and 2025, is among numerous Russian businessmen challenging EU sanctions.
In Wednesday’s ruling, the Luxembourg-based court said the sanctions criteria were “objective, sufficiently precise and proportionate,” and that the restrictions were founded on a clear legislative basis compliant with the EU’s Charter of Fundamental Rights.
Judges rejected Abramovich’s argument that an EU Council working party had effectively taken the decision, stressing that final authority remained with the Council itself.
The ruling means his assets in the EU remain frozen and his travel ban in place, even as he continues to contest the measures through further legal appeals.
(With newswires)
