British Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said two private planes by Russian oligarch Yevgeny Szweidler, initially held in the UK for clarification, were held indefinitely.

“After (Russian President Vladimir) Putin began his illegal attack, Yevgeny Szweidler’s planes were held for three weeks. And now, using my powers, he kept them indefinitely. Putin’s friends, who made millions thanks to his regime, won’t enjoy luxuries while innocent people die. “ – Shapps wrote on Twitter.

According to “The Times” newspaper, It’s the $45 million Bombardier Global 6500 and the $13 million Cessna Citation Latitude. The first was held at Farnborough Airport, the other at Begin Hill. The British government will now decide what to do with them and may sell them, for example.

Immediately after the Russian attack on Ukraine, the British government closed the airspace and all airports in the country to Russian aircraft or those associated with Russian citizens.He then tightened these penalties, making it a criminal offense to bring them into British airspace, and to allow their arrest.

Szwedler, who has an estimated fortune of $2 billion, was among a group of 65 other people and entities subject to British sanctions on Thursday.

The newspaper adds that the Ministry of Transport has permanently seized a helicopter belonging to the Russian company HeliCo Group and is investigating a plane linked to Oleg Tinkov, another sanctioned governor on Thursday.

From London Bartłomiej Niedziński (PAP)

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