Billionaire oil tycoon Eugene Shvidler made another attempt on Wednesday to overturn the UK sanctions imposed on him following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. His case marks the first
challenge of its kind to reach the UK’s Supreme Court.
Shvidler, sanctioned in March 2022, argues that the decision was unjust and arbitrary, pointing out that other businesses and executives with significant strategic ties to Russia were not similarly targeted.
The UK government justified the sanctions against Shvidler due to his association with Roman Abramovich, the former owner of Chelsea Football Club, who London claims profited from supporting the Russian government. Abramovich has previously denied benefiting from such ties.
Shvidler, whose net worth is estimated at $1.6 billion by Forbes, has faced repeated legal defeats in his efforts to contest the sanctions. The UK government has so far maintained a perfect track record in defending its sanctions regime. In this latest appeal, Shvidler contends that the measures have devastated his business operations and severely disrupted his personal and family life.
The UK Foreign Office, responsible for sanctioning over 1,700 individuals and entities since Russia’s invasion, maintains that sanctioning Shvidler was necessary to advance its foreign policy objectives. Officials further pointed to his former roles as a director of London-listed Russian steelmaker Evraz and at the Russian oil company Sibneft, which Abramovich sold in 2005, as evidence of financial ties to Abramovich.
In response, Shvidler’s lawyer, David Anderson, argued in court that the sanctions were applied inconsistently, noting that other entities with deeper Russian connections, such as BP's former joint venture with Rosneft, were not penalized. Anderson claimed this selective approach undermines the credibility of the sanctions.
However, lawyers representing the Foreign Office rejected these claims, stating that the government is entitled to decide which businesses are strategically significant to Russia. BP declined to comment on the matter.
Shvidler’s case will be followed on Thursday by a separate appeal from Russian businessman Sergei Naumenko, whose luxury yacht was seized in London. Naumenko asserts that he was targeted solely due to his wealth and Russian nationality, despite having no political ties to the Russian government.
The Supreme Court will issue its rulings on both appeals at a later date.