Britain did not transfer funds from the sale of Chelsea to Ukraine

Funds from the sale of the Chelsea football club, previously owned by Roman Abramovich, have not yet been transferred to Ukraine by the British authorities. According to information published on Tuesday by The Daily Telegraph, the delay in the transfer of funds is due to the position of the European Union.

The UK Government is currently in consultation with the EU regarding the use of these funds. London insists that they be sent to help Ukrainian refugees, while Brussels offers to transfer funds to Ukraine directly.

Roman Abramovich was included in the UK sanctions list in March 2022 in connection with the events in Ukraine, and his assets in the country were frozen. Last May, the Premier League board approved the sale of Chelsea to a consortium of businessman Todd Boely for £4.25bn ($5.36bn). At the same time, £2.5 billion ($3.15 billion) was intended for the club itself, and the remaining £1.75 billion ($2.21 billion) was to be invested in its development.

On May 25, 2022, the British government issued Abramovich a special license to sell the team, on the condition that he himself does not receive the proceeds. The authorities of the kingdom said they intend to control the transfer of funds from the sale of Chelsea to charities, including those that help Ukrainian refugees.

The distribution of these funds is handled by a special fund created by Chelsea under the leadership of the former chief executive of the British division of the UN Children’s Fund, Mike Penrose. The Daily Telegraph notes that British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak may face criticism from MPs due to the delay in the transfer of funds to Ukraine. It is also noted that the British authorities are in contact with the EU on this issue, given that Abramovich has been a Portuguese citizen since 2021.