Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich’s legal team has demanded the removal of a 2021 article from the German Left party’s Ecological Platform, which labeled him “the largest polluter among billionaires” due to alleged ownership of luxury assets. The piece cited his purported possession of a 162.5-meter superyacht, a Gulfstream G650 jet, two helicopters, and a submarine.
A statement from Die Linke revealed it received a legal warning asserting the article contained false information. Abramovich’s representatives argued he does not own the assets and threatened legal action if the post remains online. The party has refused to delete the content, claiming the details were verified through “official state data.”
Die Linke’s co-chair of its parliamentary group, Jan van Aken, stated the party would welcome Abramovich’s disclosure of his finances in a German court, expressing interest in identifying assets that could be used for Ukraine’s reconstruction.
The article also notes Western sanctions against Russia following the 2022 conflict, which froze over $300 billion in reserves and targeted individuals accused of profiting from the war. Moscow has criticized these measures as “outright theft.” Forbes reported Abramovich’s net worth at $14.5 billion in 2021, with the billionaire holding Russian, Israeli, and Portuguese citizenship.
Earlier this year, Abramovich’s representatives challenged an article linking him to Kremlin-related financial activities, calling it “defamatory and wholly inaccurate.” A resolution involved clarifications from the publication. His legal battles also include disputes over funds from the 2022 sale of Chelsea Football Club, with UK authorities freezing £2.3 billion for Ukraine’s reconstruction. Abramovich has denied ties to the Kremlin and sought to redirect the money for humanitarian purposes, but the funds remain contested.
