Two children of the Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich have acquired, and possibly still hold, Lithuanian citizenship, reports the Siena Centre for Investigative Journalism, which has contributed to an international investigation.
The investigation has revealed that Lithuanian passports held by Arkady and Anna Abramovich were used in operations that analysts say were attempts to circumvent the EU sanctions imposed on the billionaire following the Russian invasion of Ukraine last year. Abramovich’s children were involved in changing the management structure of his assets.
Leaked documents analysed by the Cyprus Confidential journalistic investigation showed that at least one of the ten funds managed by Roman Abramovich listed his two children with Lithuanian citizenship as beneficiaries.
A photo of Arkady Abramovich’s Lithuanian passport was found among thousands of documents leaked from the Cypriot financial services firm Meritservus. The authenticity of the document was confirmed by the signature of a London lawyer.
Investigative reporters have not been able to establish when Anna Abramovich obtained her Lithuanian passport, only the fact that she has a Lithuanian citizenship and her passport number.
The Migration Department refused to comment on the nationalities of Roman Abramovich’s children, saying the information is protected under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and that Anna and Arkady are not considered public persons.
Roman Abramovich was put on the EU sanctions list in the first weeks of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Law in the works
Lithuania’s Migration Department confirmed on Wednesday it is aware that Anna and Arkady Abramovich are Lithuanian citizens.
“At this moment, we have information on two persons,” Evelina Gudzinskaitė, the director of the Migration Department, told reporters, adding that the institution is looking into whether more of Roman Abramovich’s children have Lithuanian passports.
Interior Minister Agnė Bilotaitė said that the law does not allow taking away citizenship from people “who have been granted it on the basis of descent or other grounds”.
However, she added, the government is drafting amendments to do it on the grounds of national security.
“[Amendments] have been drafted, they are still being coordinated and should be presented when they are finally agreed upon,” the minister said.
Migration Department chief Gudzinskaitė said that the Abramovich children were granted Lithuanian citizenship before the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Roman Abramovich himself does not have a Lithuanian passport, she added.
If a person has a right to the Lithuanian citizenship by virtue of their descent, there is no way to deny it to them, Gudzinskaitė said, unless they lie in their application or “the person has committed war crimes”.
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