LONDON --
Police on Monday moved in to evict squatters who had occupied a London mansion suspected of belonging to Russian billionaire Oleg Deripaska, who was positioned on Britain's sanctions listing final week in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Carrying riot gear, officers entered the multi-million pound mansion which the squatters had earlier occupied in Belgrave Sq., in an upmarket space of the British capital and residential to quite a few international embassies.
Nevertheless, they remained in a standoff with the squatters who gathered on the balcony on the entrance of the property the place that they had unfurled a Ukrainian flag and positioned a banner studying 'This property has been liberated'.
"You occupy Ukraine, we occupy you," mentioned an announcement from the squatters, who described themselves as anarchists.
"By occupying this mansion, we wish to present solidarity with the individuals of Ukraine, but additionally the individuals of Russia who by no means agreed to this insanity."
Police mentioned that they had searched the property and have been glad there was nobody inside.
"We proceed to have interaction with these on the balcony as we stability the necessity for enforcement with the protection of all concerned," police mentioned on Twitter.
Britain froze the property of Deripaska final Thursday, one among a lot of Russian oligarchs focused within the wake of the invasion of Ukraine, which the Kremlin has referred to as a "particular army operation."
Deripaska, who has stakes in vitality firm En+ Group which owns one of many world's main aluminum producers UC Rusal RUAL.MM, is price an estimated 2 billion kilos and has a multi-million pound property portfolio in Britain, the British authorities mentioned on the time.
Britain says Deripaska is intently related to the federal government of Russia and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
London Excessive Courtroom paperwork from 2007 recognized Deripaska because the helpful proprietor of the Belgrave Sq. mansion. A decide in a court docket case the 12 months earlier than mentioned the property and one other home he owned exterior the capital, have been then price about 40 million kilos (US$52 million).
Representatives of Deripaska didn't instantly reply to a request for remark. Shortly earlier than the sanctions have been imposed, Deripaska mentioned peace was wanted as quickly as potential in Ukraine and warned that Russia can be completely different after the battle.
Britain has to this point sanctioned about 20 Russian oligarchs, together with Chelsea soccer membership proprietor Roman Abramovich and Alisher Usmanov, freezing their properties throughout London and banning them from coming to Britain.
"Squatting in residential buildings is prohibited however we're working to determine the suitable use for seized properties whereas homeowners are topic to sanctions," a spokesman for Prime Minister Boris Johnson advised reporters. "We actually do not assume individuals ought to break the regulation."
(Extra reporting by Elizabeth Piper; Modifying by Frank Jack Daniel)
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