MOSCOW/LONDON (Reuters) – British authorities, whose relations with Moscow have been strained, are yet to renew Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich’s visa after it expired last month, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.
Abramovich, best known in Britain as the owner of Premier League soccer club Chelsea, is in the process of renewing his visa as part of a standard procedure, one of the sources said.
It is taking longer than usual but there is no indication that the visa will not be renewed as there is no refusal or negative feedback, he added. Millhouse, the company that manages Abramovich’s assets, declined to comment. Britain’s Home Office could not be reached for comment.
Abramovich, who is also a co-owner of London-listed steel producer Evraz, did not attend Saturday’s FA Cup final in London, the showpiece end to the English soccer season when Chelsea beat Manchester United.
He was also absent from a hearing at the London High Court this week at which Russian tycoon Oleg Deripaska was challenging the sale of a stake in mining giant Norilsk Nickel by Abramovich to Russian billionaire Vladimir Potanin.
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