A private jet has been impounded at Farnborough Airport in Hampshire as authorities investigate its connection with a billionaire Russian oligarch.The jet flew into the country last Thursday 10032022 and UK officials believe oil tycoon Eugene Shvidler was on board.They are now investigating whether the ac is permanently leased to Shvidler and falls under UK sanctions.The Luxembourg-registered jet was due to take off from the UK to Dubai, but officials have now prevented this.
It comes as the UK announced new sanctions on Russian ac. Ministers are making it a criminal offence for ac owned or chartered by Russians to enter UK airspace, and new trade sanctions will prevent all UK exports of aviation or space-related technology to Russia.Mr Shvidler has himself not been personally sanctioned by the UK at any stage.
Announcing the new measures, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said the changes would inflict further "economic pain on Russia and those close to the Kremlin".She added the govt would continue to support Ukraine and "work to isolate Russia on the international stage".
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said the UK was "one of the first countries to ban Russian ac and today we are going even further by making it a criminal offence for Russian ac to operate in UK airspace".