Only 32% support freezing the assets and seizing the property of Russian oligarchs – and only 26% support doing so to Roman Abramovich
When the West imposed sanctions on close allies of Vladimir Putin in response to Russia’s annexation of Crimea, the Kremlin apparently laughed them off, saying the list looked like it had been drawn up by “some prankster”.
It is this nonchalance to Western retaliation that has caused vocal Putin-critic Alexei Navalny to call for more aggressive measures: “freezing the oligarchs’ financial assets and seizing their property.”
There are plenty of Russian oligarchs in the UK, but there is remarkably little public appetite for such an approach.
Only 32% support freezing assets and seizing property owned by Russian oligarchs living in Britain. 33% support the idea and 35% don’t know.
Two of the oligarchs named by Navalny were Chelsea F.C. owner Roman Abramovich and major Arsenal F.C. shareholder Alisher Usmanov, but only 26% support freezing the assets or seizing the property of either. 36% and 35% oppose, respectively.
Ukraine’s armed forces have now started a full withdrawal from their military bases in Crimea, after Russian forces took the last base yesterday. The G7 group of industrialised countries – who have suspended Russia from the G8 – are meeting to consider a collective response to the crisis at The Hague.
Image: Getty
