The long-running detention of a Bombardier Global 6500 business jet at Farnborough airport under the UK government’s sanctions regime looks set to continue indefinitely following a recent Supreme Court ruling.
Owned by businessman Eugene Shvidler, the twinjet (LX-FLY) has been held at Farnborough since March 2022.
Although a British citizen since 2010, Shvidler has strong links to Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich who was sanctioned by the UK on 10 March 2022 following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February that year.
Shvidler, who was a non-executive director of London-listed but Russia-linked Evraz until trading in the company was suspended, was designated under the UK’s sanctions regime on 24 March 2022 and his assets frozen, including the Global 6500.
But Shvidler challenged the decision, arguing that the sanctions imposed on him disproportionately affected his private life and property rights.
Having seen that claim thrown out by two lower courts, Shvidler then appealed to the Supreme Court.
But dismissing the appeal by a majority on 29 July, the court said the government had acted proportionately in sanctioning Schvidler as part of efforts to pressure the Russian government to end the war in Ukraine.
“In relation to Mr Shvidler, the court accepts the government’s evidence that his designation will send a signal to both him and others associated with persons involved in the Russian elite that there are negative consequences to having implicitly legitimised the Russian government’s actions,” its judgement reads.
“The hope is that it will disincentivise others from associating with the government, or encourage them even actively to oppose it in the future.”
Aditionallty, the court says the object of the sanctions is that Shvidler ”should so far as possible be disabled from enjoying his assets and pursuing his wealthy lifestyle”.
In practical terms, that means the detention of LX-FLY will continue until further notice.
It is unclear what if any maintenance work has been undertaken on the jet during its three years of inactivity, or even if it remains in a flight-worthy condition.
Given its extended storage outside – albeit with engine covers fitted – there has been at least a substantial deterioration in its paintwork, recent pictures show.
Shvidler is responsible for any maintenance and storage costs related to the aircraft, according to the UK Department for Transport.
