The United Kingdom announced a “full asset freeze and travel ban” against Alisher Usmanov and Igor Shuvalov, who were described as two of "Russia’s leading oligarchs with significant interests in the UK and close links to the Kremlin.”
According to a statement from the U.K. government, Usmanov has had significant interests in English football clubs Arsenal and Everton, as well as owning luxury real estate. Shuvalov also has two luxury apartments in central London and is a “core part of Putin’s inner circle, and headed up Russia’s bid for the 2018 Football World Cup,” the statement said.
“Our message to Putin and his allies has been clear from day one — invading Ukraine would have serious and crippling economic consequences. Sanctioning Usmanov and Shuvalov sends a clear message that we will hit oligarchs and individuals closely associated with the Putin regime and his barbarous war,” Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said in the statement. “We won’t stop here. Our aim is to cripple the Russian economy and starve Putin’s war machine,” NBC reports.
