Roman Abramovitch Loses EU Sanctions Appeal Again
On September 9, 2026, the General Court of the European Union rejected Roman Abramovich's appeal against EU sanctions. The businessman, who holds Russian, Israeli, and Portuguese citizenship, challenged the Council's decisions to prolong sanctions until March 15, 2026, and September 15, 2025, seeking both annulment and compensation for moral damages. The court deemed the Council's criteria to be objective and proportionate, referencing Abramovich's significant ownership in Evraz and interests in Norilsk Nickel, which support the Russian government. His assertion of being targeted due to his fame was dismissed. Notably, Abramovich, an art aficionado, possessed a collection valued at $963 million in 2018. He retains the option to appeal to the Court of Justice of the European Union.
Key facts
- The EU General Court dismissed Roman Abramovich's appeal against sanctions on September 9, 2026.
- Abramovich holds Russian, Israeli, and Portuguese nationalities.
- He challenged extensions of EU asset freezes and travel bans until September 15, 2025, and March 15, 2026.
- The court found the Council's criteria objective, sufficiently precise, and proportionate.
- Abramovich is principal shareholder of Evraz and holds stakes in Norilsk Nickel.
- He co-founded the Garage Center for Contemporary Culture with Dasha Zhukova in 2008.
- A 2023 investigation listed 367 works in his collection, valued at $963 million in 2018.
- He can appeal to the Court of Justice of the European Union on points of law.
Entities
Artists
- Roman Abramovich
- Dasha Zhukova
- Claude Monet
- Henri Matisse
- Pablo Picasso
- René Magritte
- Natalia Goncharova
- Lucian Freud
- Francis Bacon
- Paula Rego
- David Hockney
- Rem Koolhaas
- Marina Lystseva
Institutions
- European Union
- General Court of the European Union
- Council of the European Union
- Court of Justice of the European Union
- Garage Museum of Contemporary Art
- Garage Center for Contemporary Culture
- Evraz
- Norilsk Nickel
- OMA
- Le Journal des Arts
Locations
- Russia
- Israel
- Portugal
- Ukraine
- Moscow
- Gorky Park
- Vremena Goda