Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich, under UK and EU sanctions, was on the plane that brought back five Britons captured in Ukraine, and he was said to have played a “key role” in their release, according to one of them testifying to The Sun daily. Friday.
John Harding, one of five Britons freed by Moscow in a prisoner exchange with Kyiv, says the Russian billionaire, the former owner of London football club Chelsea, introduced himself to one of the former prisoners, Sean Boehner, on the plane that took them from Russia to Saudi Arabia.
Sean Benner said to him, ‘You look a lot like Roman Abramovich,’ and replied, ‘It’s because I am,’ says Mr. Harding.
He adds that, for his part, he exchanged with the oligarch’s assistant, who assured him that the latter played a “major role” in releasing the five prisoners.
Roman Abramovich has been under British government sanctions since March 10, with Downing Street claiming he had evidence of his links to Russian President Vladimir Putin, who on February 24 ordered his army to invade Ukraine.
It is also included in the list of personalities endorsed by the European Union.
Also according to John Harding, Sean Boehner “talked to him (Abramovich) about football for a long time” during the trip.
The five Britons – John Harding, Sean Benner, Aiden Aslin, Dylan Healey and Andrew Hill – were released as part of a 10 prisoner-of-war exchange, facilitated by Saudi mediation.
The first two were sentenced to death, along with Moroccan Brahim Saadoun, also involved in the prisoner exchange, for mercenary charges – a charge disputed – by pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine.
Last month, Kremlin opponent Alexei Navalny, who is currently imprisoned, called for the systematic punishment of all oligarchs close to Vladimir Putin or supporters of the war in Ukraine.
He especially regretted that Roman Abramovich continues to evade US sanctions to this day, while some of his companies “continue to supply metals to the Russian Ministry of Defense.”
