Russian billionaires Roman Abramovich and Eugene Shvidler.
Getty/Nick Potts
- At least 30 aircraft of Russian oligarchs flew over the EU since the war began, per Welt am Sonntag research.
- This is despite the EU banning all Russian planes in late February.
- Eugene Shvidler’s private jet has crossed EU airspace eight times since the ban, per the research.
At least 30 private planes and helicopters belonging to Russian oligarchs have flown across the European Union since the Ukraine war began, according to German newspaper Welt am Sonntag.
The EU banned Russian-owned planes from crossing its airspace on February 27 as part of sanctions against President Vladimir Putin for his invasion of Ukraine. But research from Welt am Sonntag suggests some aircraft owned by wealthy Russians have breached sanctions by flying over the EU.
Welt am Sonntag’s research showed that one of Eugene Shvidler’s jets had flown more than eight times through EU airspace — sometimes flying over Germany — after the ban. The Russian oil tycoon’s jet was then seized in March by the UK, along with his other plane.
In addition, an Airbus helicopter owned by Russian businessman Alexander Zanadvorov has flown over France at least eight times since the EU’s airspace ban, Welt am Sonntag reported from its research.
The day after the EU announced its airspace ban, Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov’s two private jets departed from EU airports, per Welt am Sonntag’s research. One flew from Munich, Germany to Tashkent, Uzbekistan, while the other took off from Florence, Italy, the research also showed.
A Bombardier aircraft, reportedly owned by Russian telecoms billionaire Albert Avdolyan, flew from Nice, France, to Istanbul in Turkey on March 2, according to Welt am Sonntag’s research.
The following month, a plane owned by Viktor Vekselberg, chairman of the metals, mining, and energy conglomerate Renova Group, took off in Switzerland and landed in Kazakhstan.
These movements come as Russian oligarchs have sought to move their private jets and yachts across the world in an attempt to avoid Western sanctions, which include the seizure of assets.
Jets linked to Roman Abramovich, former Chelsea FC owner, have also been tracked flying around after the EU’s ban was imposed, according to an investigation first reported by The Guardian.
