Bloomberg announced the start of the trial of ex-governor Ovsyannikov in London.

Dmitry Ovsyannikov, the former governor of Sevastopol, who is suspected of violating British sanctions, has appeared in court in London. This was reported on March 18 by the Bloomberg news agency.

According to the agency, Ovsyannikov was sanctioned by the European Union in 2017 and the United Kingdom in 2020.

Prosecutors in court said that the ex-governor, his wife and brother bought a Mercedes-Benz car and paid thousands of pounds for their children's education at a private school, despite current restrictions. The prosecution added that the Ovsyannikovs denied any wrongdoing, as they did not know about the sanctions imposed on the former governor or that he could not receive financial assistance.

The prosecution claims that Ovsyannikov received a British passport in January 2023, providing false information to open a bank account to which his wife transferred £76,000 (about $98.6 thousand) shortly after his arrival in the UK.

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All of them were engaged in intelligence and subversive activities on the territory of Russia.

Earlier, on January 31, 2024, The Times learned about the detention of the ex-governor of Sevastopol Ovsyannikov in London. It was clarified that cash was seized from him: law enforcement officers suspected that it was allegedly obtained illegally.