Squatters break into Russian oligarch’s mansion in London ‘to house Ukrainian refugees’

At least five people have been occupying the property in Belgrave Square since early Monday morning.

Mr Deripaska, an industrialist who has had close links with the British political establishment, was targeted with sanctions by the Government last week.

He was described as “a prominent Russian businessman and pro-Kremlin oligarch”, who is “closely associated” with both the Russian government and President Vladimir Putin.

His wealth is estimated to be £2.3 billion and he has a multimillion-pound property portfolio in the UK which, according to a 2007 High Court judgment, includes the house at 5 Belgrave Square. Records indicate it has not changed hands since and is owned by an offshore British Virgin Islands company.

The squatters call themselves the London Mahknovists – after Nestor Makhno, who led an anarchist force that attempted to form a stateless society in Ukraine during the Russian Revolution of 1917-1923.

The building has been cordoned off and is surrounded by police officers and vehicles.

Three men stood on the balcony above the street, playing music, waving and dancing next to signs which read: “This property has been liberated” and “Putin go f*** yourself”.

They all wore dark clothes and face coverings.

Answering reporters’ questions, one of the men said there are five of them inside the mansion but they have a “way bigger group coming”.

He added that they broke into the property at around 1am.

“We stay here until Putin stops the war,” one man said.

He continued: “We have opened the building to house Ukrainian refugees and refugees from all nations.”

He also said the owner of the building “wants to destroy Ukraine homes”.

“He supported the wars. This home belongs to Ukrainian refugees. There are families dying. Their land has gone. This is the least we can do.”

Talking about finding housing for refugees, another said: “Priti Patel, do not worry. We did your job.

“Refugees welcome.”

They said the UK Government have “failed” to properly respond to the invasion, adding: “The same money that funds the Russia war machine funds the Conservative Party.”

The group also criticised the police, comparing them to those arresting protesters in Russia.

Asked how they got into the property, one joked: “Squatters’ magic.”

Another laughed: “I swear I cannot remember a thing.”

One man said that inside the mansion “there is a lot of rooms. There is so much stuff that a normal human being shouldn’t have.”

Asked whether they have enough food and drink, one said: “This bastard left the basement full of alcohol but left no food.

“We have everything we need but we do not have food, so if anyone could provide us with food and we can lift it up with a rope, that would be really appreciated.”

A Metropolitan Police statement said: “Police were called shortly after 01.00 hours on Monday 14 March to a residential property in Belgrave Square, SW1.

“Officers attended and found that a number of people had gained entry and hung banners from upstairs windows.

“Officers remain at the location.”

Earlier today, Sajid Javid suggested that housing Ukrainian refugees in the British mansions of Russian oligarchs could face some “legal hurdles”.

The Health Secretary was asked on ITV’s Good Morning Britain whether these houses should be the first place considered.

He said: “Not the first place – I don’t think it would be practical to make them the first place – but I do know that that is something that my friend Michael Gove is looking at.

“I think there’ll be some legal hurdles to try and do that, but it’s right that he looks broadly to see how we can house more and more Ukrainian refugees.”

Mr Javid said it is a “sensible approach” to allow Britons to offer refugees places to stay.

“This is an unprecedented situation,” he said. “There are, as we’ve seen across Europe, many millions of refugees and it’s right that Britain plays its role and that we have a scheme that allows British families to play their part and to offer sanctuary.”

Mr Gove said on Sunday he wants to “explore an option” of using sanctioned individuals’ properties to house Ukrainian refugees.

Asked about reports in the Daily Mail that he wants to seize Russian oligarchs’ mansions and use them to accommodate people fleeing the war, he told the BBC’s Sunday Morning programme: “I want to explore an option which would allow us to use the homes and properties of sanctioned individuals – as long as they are sanctioned – for humanitarian and other purposes.”

He added: “There’s quite a high legal bar to cross and we’re not talking about permanent confiscation.

“But we are saying: ‘you’re sanctioned, you’re supporting Putin, this home is here, you have no right to use or profit from it – and more than that, while you are not using or profiting from it, if we can use it in order to help others, let’s do that’.”

It comes as London Mayor Sadiq Khan described properties owned by Russian oligarchs in London as “gold bricks used to launder money”.

Repeating his call for some to be used to house refugees from Ukraine, he said it would be a form of “poetic justice”.

He told Times Radio: “I, for some time, with others, have been complaining about those Russian oligarchs close to (Vladimir) Putin, using our city to launder money by buying homes or businesses. And what’s doubly heart-breaking about the homes they buy is they’re left empty for years. They’re not homes, they’re gold bricks used to launder money.

“I think the Government should be seizing them, and before selling them – because they’ll take some time – they should be using them to house those Ukrainians who are fleeing Ukraine, who we’ll be offering a safe haven in London.

“It’s a form of poetic justice, but also it’s a good use of these many, many empty properties sitting across London simply with dust being gathered inside rather than them being used to house people who need homes.”

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