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WORLD NEWS Monday 7 March 2022
Italy seizes $156 million in oligarch wealth, pressing Putin

By COLLEEN BARRY of “swiftly and effectively
Associated Press implementing the Russia
MILAN (AP) — European sanctions” but declined to
governments are moving say publicly which assets
against Russian oligarchs had been seized, if any.
to pressure Russian Presi- So far, French authorities
dent Vladimir Putin to back have seized a yacht linked
down on his war in Ukraine, to Igor Sechin, a Putin ally
seizing superyachts and who runs the Russian oil gi-
other luxury properties from ant Rosneft, in the Mediter-
billionaires on sanctions lists. ranean resort of La Ciotat
Italy since Friday has seized where it arrived in January
143 million euros ($156 mil- for repairs.
lion) in luxury yachts and French officials said Thurs-
villas in some of its most day that the crew was pre-
picturesque destinations, paring for urgent departure
including Sardinia, the Ligu- when they arrived, even
rian coast and Lake Como. through the repairs were
“We must be able to stop still underway.
Putin’s attack, bringing him Britain, long a haven of oli-
to the table, and he won’t garch wealth is under pres-
go with niceties,” Italian sure to do more. Putin con-
Foreign Minister Luigi Di fidant Roman Abramovich,
Maio told Italian state TV on A view of the yacht “Lady M”, owned by Russian oligarch Alexei Mordashov, at it is docked at who owns the top-flight
Friday, announcing Italy’s Imperia’s harbor, Italy, Saturday, March 5, 2022. football club Chelsea, said
plans to begin the seizures Associated Press this week he would put it up
of property belonging to officials. mated 48 million pounds, psychological warfare, to for sale. He has not been
oligarchs close to Putin. The villa of Russian-Uzbek and the 16th-century Sut- start seizing yachts. I think sanctioned, but opposition
Italian financial police business magnate Alisher ton Place estate in Surrey. it’s demoralizing for the oli- politicians and members of
moved quickly seizing the Usmanov also was seized Activists say that going af- garchs, and it’s demoraliz- Prime Minister Boris John-
superyacht “Lena” belong- along the tony Emerald ter the oligarchs is tanta- ing for Vladimir Putin. And son’s party have asked why
ing to Gennady Timchen- Coast in northern Sardinia, mount to going after Putin. he’s a guy who ... rules by not.
ko, an oligarch close to Pu- long the playground of the “Vladimir Putin keeps all his image, you know, is the The UK has frozen the assets
tin, in the port of San Remo; world’s wealthiest. money with the oligarchs,” person who has pictures of of the individuals on its own
the 65-meter (215-foot) German officials this week said William Browder, a U.S.- himself with the shirt off on list and is making changes
“Lady M” owned by Alexei denied reports that they born and London-based fi- a horse. And so it’s a bad to the law to make it easier
Mordashov in nearby Im- had seized Usmanov’s nancier and human rights image to have one of his to go after those on the lists
peria, featuring six suites yacht in the port of Ham- activist who was once a best friends’ yacht seized of allies after criticism that
and estimated to be worth burg. According to the major investor in Russia but in the south of France,’’ it has been too slow to act.
65 million euros; as well as British government, he also ran afoul of the govern- Browder said. Still, it will take a long time
villas in Tuscany and Como, owns Beechwood House ment in the late 2000s. Germany’s Economy Minis- to unravel, as many assets
according to government in Highgate, worth an esti- “And this is a very effective try said it was in the process are in shell companies.q

Blinken vows U.S. support to wary Moldova as Ukraine war rages

By MATTHEW LEE Ukraine since the war be- it carefully,” Moldovan
AP Diplomatic Writer gan 11 days ago. Blinken President Maia Sandu said.
CHISINAU, Moldova (AP) said Moldova’s welcoming She said there had not yet
— U.S. Secretary of State of refugees is an inspiration been any indication that
Antony Blinken on Sunday to the world. the roughly 1,500 Russian
pledged America’s support “We admire the generosity soldiers based in Transnistria
to the small, Western-lean- of hospitality, the willingness had changed posture but
ing former Soviet republic to be such good friends to stressed that it was a con-
of Moldova that is coping people who are in distress, cern given what is happen-
with an influx of refugees and, indeed, I want to do ing in Ukraine.
from Ukraine and warily everything we can to help “In this region now there is
watching Russia’s intensify- you deal with the burden no possibility for us to feel
ing war with its neighbor. that this has imposed,” he safe,” Sandu said.
Blinken met with senior Mol- said before heading to Lith- Although it is neutral militar-
dovan officials who are uania. ily and has no plans to try
appealing for international Russia has troops in Moldo- to become a member of
assistance in dealing with va, a country of 2.6 million, NATO, Moldova formally
more than 120,000 refu- stationed in the disputed applied to join the Euro- U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, left, and Moldova’s
gees from Ukraine that it territory of Transnistria, and pean Union just three days President Maia Sandu greet each other as they arrive to attend a
is now hosting while also they are being closely ago in a fast-track bid to joint news conference following their talks in Chisinau, Moldova,
seeking security reassur- watched as Russian Presi- bolster its ties with the West. Sunday, March 6, 2022.
ances against potential dent Vladimir Putin presses “While we are facing this Associated Press
Russian aggression. ahead with the invasion of unprecedented circum- Minister Natalia Gavrilita prosperous European state
More than 230,000 people Ukraine. stances, we are firmly com- said. “We believe that this based on the fundamental
have fled into or passed “This is a subject of high vul- mitted to our path for Eu- is an agenda to transform values of human rights and
through Moldova from nerability and we watch ropean integration,” Prime Moldova into a modern, the rule of law.” q