Roman Abramovich's private jet lands in Russia as Chelsea owner seen at airport

Roman Abramovich's private jet has landed in Moscow, Russia - just hours after he was seen in a VIP lounge at an airport in Israel.

The Russian oligarch has been sanctioned by the UK government for having alleged ties with Vladimir Putin. The Russian president ordered his troops to invade neighbouring Ukraine last month, leading to thousands of deaths in eastern Europe.

Abramovich has denied all ties with Putin and it is not clear if he was on the flight to Moscow. The billionaire has been sanctioned by the EU, which could have ramifications for Chelsea's European hopes. The severity of these sanctions are yet to be known.

According to Reuters, Abramovich is not planning on meeting with Putin in Moscow. His jet was also spotted taking off from Istanbul, Turkey in recent days. A spokesperson for Abramovich declined Reuters' request to comment.

Abramovich was seen wearing jeans, a puffer jacket, scuffed boots and a facemask at Ben Gurion international airport in Lod - near Tel Aviv, Israel - on Monday evening. Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid has already said the country will "not be a route to bypass sanctions imposed on Russia by the United States and other Western countries".

Abramovich has Portuguese and Israeli citizenship, yet the former's government are currently investigating how that citizenship was granted. A rabbi who is alleged to have been involved in the matter was detained on Thursday.

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It's believed Abramovich met with former German chancellor Gerhard Schroeder in Moscow on Thursday evening to find a way to stop the war. Schroeder is said to have sat down with Putin shortly after that meeting, although this is unconfirmed.

As a result of the UK government's sanctions on Abramovich, Chelsea are currently operating under a special license - stopping them from selling tickets and merchandise, as well as limiting their matchday expenditure.

The Blues are negotiating the terms of this license with the UK government and demanded their FA Cup tie against Middlesbrough on Saturday to be played behind closed doors. This request has now been withdrawn.

Abramovich is planning on selling Chelsea and it's believed a number of consortiums are interested in completing a deal. Any proposed move will need to be verified by the UK government as a result of the sanctions.

A vocal minority of Chelsea fans continue to sing Abramovich's name at games, while a banner celebrating his 19-year tenure was seen at Stamford Bridge last Sunday during the game against Newcastle. Chelsea have won 21 trophies during the Russian's time in charge.

"We recognise the strength of feeling around people's clubs but that does not excuse behaviour which is completely inappropriate at this time," said a spokesperson for prime minister Boris Johnson when asked about the chant. "I think people can show passion and support for their club without resorting to that sort of stuff."

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