Switzerland increases frozen Russian assets to $8.38 billion

Reuters

The Swiss government announced on Tuesday that the value of Russian assets frozen in the country has risen to 7.4 billion Swiss francs ($8.38 billion) by the end of March 2025, up from 5.8 billion francs last year, due to newly identified funds and ongoing investigations into sanctions violations.

The Swiss government has reported a significant increase in the value of Russian assets frozen within the country, reaching 7.4 billion Swiss francs ($8.38 billion) by March 2025, up from 5.8 billion francs the previous year. Officials attribute the rise to the identification and blocking of additional funds.

According to ISNA, the Swiss economy ministry linked much of this increase to a criminal investigation by the Swiss attorney general’s office into alleged sanctions violations and money laundering. While the ministry did not disclose specific details regarding the individuals or entities involved, it referenced an ongoing case that became public in August 2024. At that time, Swiss media, including Le Temps, reported that Switzerland had seized 1.3 billion francs and was investigating four individuals connected to sanctioned Russian billionaire Suleiman Karimov.

The economy ministry also noted that multiple cases are under investigation involving potential sanctions breaches by Swiss companies using foreign subsidiaries in the goods sector. Among the frozen assets are real estate, luxury vehicles, private aircraft, and valuable artworks.

Switzerland, traditionally known for its neutral stance, has faced increasing international pressure to prevent sanctions circumvention, particularly following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

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