Everton-linked Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov has his assets frozen by the EU

Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov has had his assets frozen as part of sanctions by the European Union.

The EU laid down the sanctions in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine which started last week.

Ukraine reports 352 civilian deaths since the start of the invasion, including 14 children. The UN puts the civilian toll at 102, including seven children.

Russia promised on Monday that it would hit back against the EU following its support of Ukraine and warned the West against supplying weapons to the country.  

Ukraine’s president accused Russia of war crimes on Monday after Vladimir Putin’s forces launched what were believed to be cluster and vacuum bomb attacks on the fifth day of their invasion.

In a late night address directed at Russia, Volodymyr Zelensky said there would ‘definitely be an international tribunal’ for what he said was a ‘violation of all conventions’ and added that ‘no one in the world will forgive you for killing peaceful Ukrainian people.’ 

Alisher Usmanov has had his assets frozen and given a travel ban as part of EU sanctions

In a panicked bid to reignite his stalled military onslaught, Vladimir Putin had launched an indiscriminate bombing campaign on the eastern city of Kharkiv just 24 hours after local resistance had sent his troops packing from its streets.

In response to Putin’s invasion, countries and organisations, including the EU, have been laying down sanctions on Russia. 

Premier League football club Everton could be swept up in the sanctions due to their training ground sponsors, USM Holding.

The company is owned by Alisher Usmanov and he has had his assets frozen by the EU. He has also been given a travel ban.

The EU Council said Alisher Usmanov ‘has particularly close ties to president Vladimir Putin’

The EU Council said: ‘Alisher Usmanov is a pro-Kremlin oligarch with particularly close ties to Russian president Vladimir Putin.’

The council also said Usmanov ‘actively supported materially or financially Russian decision-makers responsible for the annexation of Crimea and the destabilisation of Ukraine.’

It is unknown just how the sanctions will affect Everton but the club’s owner Farhad Moshiri is the chairman of USM Holdings.