Swiss target holiday home in hurried clampdown on Russian oligarchs
The Swiss authorities believe the flat belongs to Petr Aven, identified as a close confidant of Russian President Vladimir Putin (pictured)
Keystone / Mikhail Klimentyev / Kremlin Poo
Swiss authorities have identified a luxury mountain home believed to be owned by a Russian oligarch as bankers and officials work overtime to track assets of people linked to Moscow in retribution for the invasion of Ukraine.
The Bern cantonal property office said it believed the flat belonged to Petr Aven, identified by Switzerland as a close confidant of Russian President Vladimir Putin and a major shareholder of the group that owns Russia’s biggest private bank, Alfa.
The three-bedroom flat is on the fifth floor of a luxury complex at a golf resort in the picturesque Bernese Oberland, surrounded by snowy peaks, according to the NZZ am Sonntag newspaper.
Aven, 67, did not immediately respond to an email from Reuters seeking comment but last month he said he would contest “spurious and unfounded” European Union sanctions adopted by Switzerland.
More
More
Switzerland backs full EU sanctions against Russia
This content was published on
Switzerland has decided to adopt the full range of sanctions imposed by the European Union against Russia.
Priding itself on being neutral in international affairs, Switzerland has an outsized wealth management business and is a major trading hub for Russian commodities. Its banks hold up to $213 billion (CHF200 billion) of Russian wealth, the bank lobby estimates.
After initial hesitation, Switzerland embraced EU sanctions on hundreds of Russians on Feb. 28. It has since expanded its list to comply fully with the EU’s measures.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday urged Switzerland to confiscate assets of people he said were helping wage war. Poland echoed that on Monday.
More
More
Ukraine’s embattled leader urges Swiss banks to drop Russian oligarchs
This content was published on
The embattled leader urged Switzerland to take a stronger stance on Russian oligarchs, saying they help finance war crimes in his country.
Banks are combing through records to ensure no one under sanctions slips through the cracks. Credit Suisse, for instance, has sought permission to let 20 compliance staff work nights, weekends and holidays.
The State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), responsible for enforcing sanctions, has been swamped with reports of Russian assets.
Property registrars across Switzerland have been laboriously trying to match sanctions lists against property records name-by-name, often with various spellings.
More
More
Swiss media on the lookout for Putin’s alleged mistress – and Russian oligarchs
This content was published on
Switzerland’s weekend press focused on the whereabouts of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s alleged mistress and blacklisted oligarchs.
Train vs plane: would you take a direct train between London and Geneva?
Eurostar is planning to run direct trains from Britain to Germany and Switzerland from the early 2030s. Would you favour the train over the plane? If not, why not?
One in five Europeans exposed to too much traffic noise
This content was published on
More than one in five Europeans are exposed to unhealthily high levels of traffic noise, according to the European Environment Agency (EEA).
New living space through densification often comes at expense of the poor
This content was published on
If demolition and new construction are carried out and tenants have to make way, low-income households are affected more often than average.
This content was published on
The ceasefire in the Iran-Israel war has visibly eased tensions on the financial markets. The SMI, Switzerland's leading stock market index, has risen above the 12,000 point mark again.
This content was published on
Geneva, which is facing several days of very hot weather, has raised its level of vigilance with regard to the risk of forest fires and is issuing an appeal for caution.
Zurich arbitration authority rules in favour of tenants of ‘Sugus Houses’
This content was published on
A conciliation authority says the terminations of 105 flat leases in the so-called "Sugus Houses" in the centre of Zurich were abusive. The tenants therefore do not have to move out - at least for the time being.
This content was published on
Visitors to Switzerland spent CHF19.6 billion ($23.9 billion) last year, a 2.2% rise compared to the previous year, the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) said on Monday.
This content was published on
Despite the current tense economic situation, Swiss consumer sentiment remains positive. The Swiss spent more money in May than the previous year, particularly on restaurant visits and leisure activities, as shown by the latest figures released by PostFinance.
This content was published on
A bear killed four sheep in the Lower Engadine region near Scuol, canton Graubünden, last week. This was the first bear attack on local livestock in four years.
What the Ukraine war means for Switzerland’s energy policy
This content was published on
Switzerland gets almost half of its gas from Russia. An analysis of how the country's energy policy is being affected by the war in Ukraine.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.