Emmanuel Thomas, DPA, Sunday, June 18, 2023
Forceful sale of Chelsea FC, Abramovich holds NATO allies by the jugular
KIEV – Former owner of Chelsea Football Club, Roman Abramovich is probably having fun at the moment, paying back the Nort Atlantic Treaty Organisation, NATO, over forceful sale and takeover of his club.
Chelsea was sold for nearly $5billion in May 2022 to a group of American billionaire, Todd Boehly as part of sanction on Russian oligarchs who are close to President Vladimir Putin over his war in Ukraine. He was sanctioned by U.K, EU, Canada, Australia and Switzerland.
Proceeds from sales of the club was to be used to help victims of the war in Ukraine based on the agreement reached with U.K government.
But according to information leaked by sidesofwar, the Russian billionaire is insisting that part of the money should also be allocated to Russians who are affected by the war tagged special operation by Russia.
The new stance of Abramovich is making the EU and other NATO allies uncomfortable but the former owner of Chelsea is insisting otherwise he will not append his signatures required for the successful transfer of the funds to Ukraine.
Abramovich has a net worth of about $9.2 billion.