FAIR TRADE

U.K. Wants to House Ukraine Refugees in Russian Oligarch Mansions

The British government is looking at whether they can legally use sanctioned mansions belonging to Russian oligarchs to house incoming refugees.

British housing minister Michael Gove has come up with a novel idea for posh Russian oligarch mansions sequestered under sanctions over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. “I want to explore an option which would allow us to use the homes and properties of sanctioned individuals for as long as they are sanctioned for humanitarian and other purposes,”Gove told BBC Sunday, marking the first time such a scheme has been introduced. “There is 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 ... if we can use it in order to help others let's do that.” It is unclear exactly what has to happen to put the ingenious plan in place.