Two longtime business associates of Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich have been sanctioned by the UK government, with up to £10 billion in assets frozen.
The government has referred to the move towards Eugene T. and David D. as the largest asset freeze in UK history.
It's a continuation of the UK targeting those with ties to Russia President Vladimir Putin, who is overseeing an invasion of Ukraine that has drawn scorn from the West.
What has been said?
"We are tightening the ratchet on Putin's war machine and targeting the circle of people closest to the Kremlin. We will keep going with sanctions until Putin fails in Ukraine," UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said in a statement. "Nothing and no one is off the table."
Previous sanctions on Abramovich
The Chelsea owner himself has already been sanctioned by the UK government, leading him to put the club up for sale in a process that is still ongoing.
For a time, the sanctions limited ticket and merchandise sales, however those aspects have since been amended.
As the Chelsea sale process occurs, Abramovich has stepped away from all leadership responsibilities.
There are still multiple potential buyers said to be in the running to buy the Blues, with the affair expected to be wrapped up in the near-future.