Russian businessman Abramovich trying to get sanctions against him removed - media

LONDON. June 8 (Interfax) - Russian businessman Roman Abramovich believes that sanctions imposed on him by the United Kingdom and the European Union are discriminatory and based on false allegations and is trying to contest them, The Times said on Wednesday.

The businessman's representatives have said that Abramovich has paid more than 1.75 billion pounds in taxes in the UK over the past 20 years. In 2019-2020 alone, he paid more than 41 million pounds in taxes and insurance contributions in the UK.

"This places Abramovich among the top 25 tax contributors in that year," his representatives told the newspaper.

According to the paper, the businessman argues that he pays more tax in the UK and the EU than in Russia and believes that "sanctions against him are discriminatory, disproportionate and based on false allegations about his closeness to [Russian] President Putin."

According to his representatives, Abramovich has forwarded documents outlining these arguments to the authorities of the EU and the UK.