US obtains warrant to seize Airbus of Russian oligarch Skoch

The seizure of the $90m aircraft comes amid increased western crackdowns on Moscow

The US Department of Justice building in Washington. Reuters

The US has obtained a warrant to seize an Airbus A319-100 owned by sanctioned Russian oligarch Andrei Skoch.

The aircraft, valued at $90 million, is in Kazakhstan, an affidavit in support of the seizure warrant says.

The US and EU have increased a crackdown on Russian oligarchs after President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine on February 24, which led to many western sanctions.

They have seized luxury estates, mega-yachts and aircraft of Russian billionaires known to have ties to Mr Putin.

US authorities seize Russian oligarch’s superyacht in Spain

A US Homeland Security Police agent climbs on board the 'Tango' superyacht, belonging to Russian oligarch Viktor Vekselberg, which was seized on behalf of US authorities, as it is docked in Mallorca, Spain. Reuters

Spanish civil guards and US agents of Homeland Security and the FBI search a yacht owned by Russian billionaire Viktor Vekselberg in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. AFP

The seized yatch 'Tango' moors in the port of Palma de Mallorca. It was seized by authorities in concordance with US sanctions imposed against oligarchs and their assets being frozen in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. EPA

The unidentified prosecutor of the case disembarks 'Tango', followed by Spanish civil guards and US federal agents, in Palma de Mallorca. EPA

The 'Tango' is seized by authorities. EPA

The 'Tango' belongs to Renova Group chief Viktor Vekselberg and was seized in the port of Palma de Mallorca, Spain. EPA

A civil guard and a police dog walk off the yacht. AP

The yacht is among the assets linked to Viktor Vekselberg, a billionaire and close ally of Russia's President Vladimir Putin, US Treasury Department documents have claimed. AP

Mr Skoch, who is a member of the Russian parliament's lower house, has been subject to US sanctions since 2018 for “long-standing ties to Russian organised criminal groups”.

The steel magnate is also one of the wealthiest men in Russia’s Duma. His fortune is valued at about $6.6 billion, according to Forbes.

The Treasury first imposed sanctions on Mr Skoch in April 2018 over claims of his ties to organised crime and for being “a deputy of the Russian Federation’s State Duma.”

More sanctions were imposed on him and his assets after Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

“Today's action demonstrates that the US government will be relentless in our efforts to bring to justice those that are enabling Putin's heinous war against Ukraine,” assistant secretary of commerce Matthew Axelrod said.

Agencies contributed to this report.