France froze nearly $940 million in assets of Russian tycoons — yachts, flats, bank accounts — on its territory in the wake of the war in Ukraine, Economy and Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said on Sunday.
“We froze (...) 150 million [about USD 165 million] in private accounts, lines of credit in France, in French establishments,” he said on the RTL/Le Figaro/LCI radio and television program Grand Jury.
In addition, “we have frozen assets worth 539 million euros in French territory, corresponding to about thirty buildings or flats, and we have immobilized two yachts worth 150 million euros”, explained the minister.
“In total, there are (about) 850 million euros [940 USD] of assets, assets of Russian oligarchs, that were immobilized on French territory,” said Le Maire.
“Sanctions hurt Russia, harm the Russian state, harm (Russian President) Vladimir Putin,” Le Maire continued.
Since the start of the Russian offensive in Ukraine in late February, Western countries have adopted several economic sanctions packages.
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