The US Department of Justice on Monday ordered the seizure of two planes belonging to Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich, saying they had been used in violation of sanctions imposed on Russia after the invasion of Ukraine.
The ministry explained in legal documents that the aircraft, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner and a Gulfstream G650ER jet, flew in Russian territory after US export regulations were introduced on March 2.
The two planes, worth more than $400 million, are of American origin and their owner, billionaire Roman Abramovich, flew them to Russia in March without applying for a special re-export license, according to the Ministry.
“Ministry of Commerce controls on exports and re-exports are strong and must be adhered to. It is an important component of the US strategy to deprive Russia of the means to fuel its illegal war.“, explained Andrew Adams, the director of the team dubbed KleptoCapture.