Quick Trips Among 3 Countries in One Day: What is Abramovich Doing?

In less than 24 hours, a plane linked to Russian businessman Roman Abramovich, who is under sanctions, traveled between three countries, amid speculation that his efforts to sell Chelsea Football Club are behind these rapid flights. Data from "Flight Radar 24" showed that the plane landed in Moscow early Tuesday morning after taking off from Istanbul, where it had a brief stop. The plane associated with Abramovich, owner of Chelsea, had arrived in Istanbul from Israel on Monday shortly after he was seen at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv. Abramovich is one of seven Russian billionaires added to the British sanctions list last week, aimed at isolating Moscow due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. EU diplomats have adopted a similar step to pressure Russia. The Russian businessman, who holds Israeli and Portuguese citizenships, denies having close ties with Putin. A source familiar with the matter told Reuters that the plane used by Abramovich traveled to Ben Gurion Airport late Sunday from Moscow, and then from Tel Aviv to Istanbul. Istanbul is home to the headquarters of "AB Group Holding," owned by Muhsin Berak, who has publicly expressed interest in buying Chelsea. Berak has activities in construction, energy, and real estate sectors, and said he was in talks with Abramovich regarding the sale. Abramovich stated last week that he is selling the London club, but the sale is currently on hold, and Chelsea is operating under a special government license, with the Premier League board not recognizing Abramovich as the club's director. A source from the British Transport Ministry indicated on Friday that London is investigating aircraft or helicopters owned by those who have been sanctioned. European authorities have confiscated several properties in recent days, including yachts worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Tracking sites "Marine Traffic" and "Vessel Finder" reported that Abramovich's yacht "Solaris," valued at $600 million, was off the coast of Montenegro heading to Istanbul, before it stopped broadcasting its destination.