An investigation by the ‘Siena’ investigative journalism center revealed that the oil tycoon’s children have Lithuanian nationality and passports.
According to the investigation of the journalism center ‘Siena,’ the head of the migration department said that Arkady and Anna Abramovich obtained Lithuanian citizenship before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Roman Abramovich himself does not have a Lithuanian passport, she added.
On the other hand, the ministry did not want to comment further on the descendants of the former owner of the Chelsea club, considering that they were not public persons and that they were protected by general data protection regulations .
A nationality transmitted by blood law
The Abramovitch children have citizenship because their great-grandparents were from the Tauragė region of Lithuania. Under current law, Roman Abramovich, his descendants and even his parents are therefore entitled to Lithuanian citizenship.
If the law does not allow citizenship to be withdrawn from people “who obtained it on the basis of ancestry or other grounds”, Lithuanian Interior Minister Agnė Bilotaitė announced that a revision of the text was underway, on the grounds of national security.
According to Lithuanian law, a person can only be stripped of their nationality if they have lied on official documents or committed war crimes.
In any case for Vilnius, there is no question of using these documents to counter European sanctions on the fortunes of the oligarchs.
Russian fortunes targeted by economic sanctions
Several Russian figures, including Roman Abramovich, found themselves targeted by economic sanctions during the Russian invasion of Ukraine almost two years ago.
In January, an investigation from a British media revealed that the billionaire had transferred part of his assets to his children to escape it.
Separately, the Abramovichs’ Lithuanian passports were allegedly used in operations that analysts say were aimed at circumventing EU sanctions imposed on the billionaire following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last year .
