The French authorities arrested three villas of Russian businessmen who fell under the sanctions. Two of them are located on the Cote d’Azur and belong to Oleg Deripaska and Musa Bazhaev, the third is near Biarritz, the owner of the third is Kirill Shamalov
The assets of Russian businessmen who fell under sanctions, arrested in France, were replenished with three real estate objects. These are three villas – two on the Cote d’Azur and one – near Biarritz, they belong to the founder of UC Rusal Oleg Deripaska, the chairman of the board of directors of Russian Platinum Musa Bazhaev and the shareholder of Sibur Kirill Shamalov, Nice-Matin writes.
According to him, Deripaska’s villa is located near St. Tropez, Bazhaev’s villa is near the commune of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, and Shamalov’s villa is located in the vicinity of Biarritz.
French authorities have frozen more than 40 properties associated with sanctioned Russian businessmen, The Wall Street Journal reported. Among the arrested objects, in particular, Roman Abramovich’s villa “Chateau de la Croix” in the French Riviera.
The Daily Mail reported on the seizure of 33 properties belonging to sanctioned Russian businessmen worth more than €25 billion. These are houses, planes, yachts and helicopters, 12 of them, the publication claimed, belong to Roman Abramovich. It valued Abramovich’s villa on the Riviera at $120 million. Two hotels belonging to the wife of Russian businessman Gennady Timchenko were also arrested on the French Riviera, Forbes USA reported.
Personal sanctions against Russian businessmen who are considered “close” to Russian President Vladimir Putin, the United States, the European Union and other countries impose restrictive measures in each round in response to Russia’s “special operation” * on the territory of Ukraine. On April 11, Operation Oscar began in the EU to search for Russian assets under sanctions. The investigation is carried out by Europol, the European Agency for Justice Cooperation and the EU Agency for the Security of External Borders Frontex.
On April 8, the European Commission (EC) announced the freezing of Russian and Belarusian assets in the amount of €29.5 billion after the imposition of sanctions due to a “special operation”, including works of art worth €6.7 billion. The US Treasury launched the Kleptocracy Asset program Recovery Rewards Program – those who help arrest or confiscate the assets of the “kleptocracy” are promised a reward of up to $5 million. An investigation into the assets of Russian billionaires, including art collections, is also being conducted by a specially created international REPO group – “Russian Elites, proxies and oligarchs.