Multi-millionaire Russian oligarchs living in the UK are being left ‘in tears’ as sanctions disrupt their luxurious lifestyles, according to a whistleblower.
Oligarchs based in the high-end, gated community Surrey’s St George’s Estate have been hit with numerous sanctions due to the invasion of Ukraine - including having their bank accounts frozen - meaning they’re unable to splash the cash as usual.
A personal assistant to several of the super rich Russians told The Mirror: “I have had to endure hearing them in tears because they can’t get on board a private jet or book a holiday or even get an Uber any more. But it’s hard to have any sympathy. It doesn’t matter to them if people are dying in Ukraine."
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The whistleblower went on to share details of some of the problems the oligarchs have run into, including being stuck in Dubai after a flight was cancelled and another man’s wife ‘collapsing into tears’ after finding out some light fixtures she ordered would not be arriving.
The assistant told the news outlet: “These people care nothing for the suffering in Ukraine. They care only about themselves and how the sanctions are starting to affect their champagne lifestyle.
“Just before the war one of the wealthy Russian families I know in Surrey paid £24,000 to fly a live crab and some black caviar from Moscow on a private jet for a party.
“But that’s all changing now and it’s good to see them having to adjust to their new place in the world.”
They went on to say they now ‘laugh at their bleating’ over the sanctions.
Announcing sanctions last month, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: "There can be no safe havens for those who have supported Putin’s vicious assault on Ukraine.
"Today’s sanctions are the latest step in the UK’s unwavering support for the Ukrainian people. We will be ruthless in pursuing those who enable the killing of civilians, destruction of hospitals and illegal occupation of sovereign allies."
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss also weighed in, saying: "Today’s sanctions show once again that oligarchs and kleptocrats have no place in our economy or society. With their close links to Putin they are complicit in his aggression.
"The blood of the Ukrainian people is on their hands. They should hang their heads in shame.
"Our support for Ukraine will not waver. We will not stop in this mission to ramp up the pressure on the Putin regime and choke off funds to his brutal war machine."
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Topics: Russia, UK News, Ukraine, Vladimir Putin
Claire Reid