The Kremlin has confirmed outgoing Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich was involved in early peace talks following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
President Vladimir Putin ordered his troops into the neighbouring country in late February, starting a bloody conflict which has been condemned by the vast majority of countries around the world. The war in Ukraine led to heightened scrutiny of Russians living in the United Kingdom on so-called 'Golden Visas'.
Abramovich was one such oligarch with assets worth billions in the UK, so claims he was playing a part in initial peace negotiations were met with surprise. Those reports were not backed up by Russian government officials at the time but a Kremlin spokesperson has now confirmed the 55-year-old was involved.
