Abramovich has '£1bn fleet of 5 yachts' as authorities struggle to seize assets

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich reportedly owns or is "linked" to five yachts worth a combined total of £1billion.

The oligarch has been sanctioned by the UK, EU and various other governments for having alleged ties with Russian president Vladimir Putin, something which he denies. Russia are currently waging a bloody war in Ukraine, a sovereign European state.

It's believed authorities were not aware of the yachts, suggesting some assets belonging to Abramovich and other wealthy oligarchs are evading the sanctions. Two of Abramovich's yachts were reportedly moved to a safe refuge in Turkey before the restrictions were imposed on him last month.

One of Abramovich's most prized assets - Chelsea - are currently operating under a special license due to the sanctions imposed by Boris Johnson and his colleagues. These restrictions are severely limiting the club's revenue streams, putting its future at risk.

The Blues are currently up for sale and it's believed four prospective buyers are seriously interested. Boston Celtics co-owner Stephen Pagliuca, Chicago Cubs owners the Ricketts family, former Liverpool chairman Sir Martin Broughton and LA Dodgers part-owner Todd Boehly are the candidates. They have until April 11 to submit their final bids.

According to the Financial Times, Abramovich met with Putin in Moscow shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine in February. It's claimed the Chelsea owner made a "strong case" for ending the war and was given Putin's blessing to be involved in the peace talks.

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"It looks like they have much closer relations than I believed," an anonymous oligarch allegedly told the Financial Times. "He was always closer to Putin than me, but I didn't think he was this close. Nobody was aware. Nobody else could play this role."

Abramovich suffered suspected poisoning at peace talks in Kyiv last month. He reportedly asked scientists examining him if he was "going to die". The incident has been pinned on hard-liners in Moscow, yet this has not been verified.

The oligarch and two negotiators suffered "red eyes, constant and painful tearing, and peeling skin on their faces and hands" following the incident but did not suffer lasting injuries. Reports suggests Abramovich "completely" lost his eyesight for "several hours". It's believed they were poisoned by a chemical agent.

Abramovich has continued to be involved in peace talks since the incident. He was photographed at discussions in Istanbul, Turkey on Tuesday. He is thought to have been tasked with "establishing a line of communication" between Putin and the Ukraine government.

Abramovich is reportedly acting as an independent voice in the talks and is "establishing corridors of evacuations" - but he is not involved in policy on either side.

"I can confirm that Roman Abramovich was contacted by the Ukrainian side for support in achieving a peaceful resolution, and that he has been trying to help ever since," a spokesperson said recently. "Considering what is at stake, we would ask for your understanding as to why we have not commented on neither the situation as such nor his involvement. Thank you."