EU court rejects Abramovich sanctions appeal for third time

The EU General Court ruled that the criteria for including the businessman on the sanctions list were objective, sufficiently precise and proportionate, according to TV Rain, The Moscow Times and Ekho.

Abramovich had contested Council of the European Union acts that extended the freeze on his funds and a ban on entry and transit through EU territory, first until September 15, 2025, and then until March 15, 2026.

The court found that Abramovich remains the majority shareholder of Evraz's parent company, one of Russia's largest groups in the metals and mining sectors, and also holds shares in Nornickel.

In the court's assessment, those sectors generate significant revenue for the Russian state. It rejected Abramovich's argument that the restrictions were tied to his public profile, saying the basis for the sanctions was the size of his stakes in the companies and the nature of their activities.

Abramovich has been under EU sanctions since March 2022. Brussels justified the measures by citing the businessman's ties to Vladimir Putin and his large stake in Evraz. The sanctions provide for asset freezes and a ban on entry to the European Union.

The EU court rejected Abramovich's previous appeals on December 20, 2023, and September 10, 2025. He challenged the latest rejection in November last year.

After Russia launched its war against Ukraine, British authorities linked Evraz to the Russian military-industrial complex. In announcing sanctions, British officials said the company could supply steel to the Russian military for tank production. In May 2022, Britain imposed sanctions on Evraz, stating that the company produces 28% of Russian railcar wheels and 97% of rails, and that Russia uses railway infrastructure to transport military cargo and troops to the front.

In 2022, OCCRP found a 2018 contract worth $1.4 million for Evraz supplies to tank manufacturer Uralvagonzavod. Evraz denied supplying products to the Russian military.

The exact value of Abramovich's assets frozen in the European Union has not been disclosed. Forbes estimated the value of his real estate frozen by France on the French Riviera and in Saint Barthelemy at $340 million. In Portugal, authorities froze Abramovich's villa in the Algarve, worth about 10 million euros.