The billionaire, who has owned the West London football club for almost 20 years, announced last week he wanted to sell the team, with net proceeds from the sale to be donated to “all victims of the war in Ukraine.”

The sanctions will come into force before any sale is able to take place.

An announcement from the foreign office said the measures will see Abramovich have “his assets frozen, a prohibition on transactions with UK individuals and businesses, a travel ban and transport sanctions imposed.”

His one time business partner, leading industrialist Oleg Deripaska, is also sanctioned with the same measures.

armradio.am