Germany mulling options to seize frozen Russian funds for Ukraine - Russia's ambassador

MOSCOW. Feb 8 (Interfax) - Germany is exploring the possibility of seizing frozen Russian government funds for Ukraine, Russia's ambassador to Germany, Sergei Nechayev said in an interview with Izvestia published on Wednesday.

"Options are being explored for seizing frozen state funds of Russia for the benefit of Ukraine. If there is any debate about this, then only about how to justify the confiscation plans correctly in legal terms and make them look plausible. But our counterparties should not deceive themselves," Nechayev said.

He said "such a move will be fatal in terms of the appeal of German jurisdiction for foreign capital, and will also incur our retaliatory steps."

The "property of a number of leading Russian energy companies in Germany has already been de facto seized," he said. "A hunt has been announced for the property and assets of Russian businessmen from sanction lists," Nechayev added.