LONDON, 3 June 2025 – There must be no further delays in unlocking the frozen billions for children in Ukraine currently sitting with Chelsea Football Club, Save the Children said as the UK Government threatened to sue former club owner Roman Abramovich.
The £2.5 billion in proceeds from the sale of Chelsea Football Club have been frozen in a UK bank account since 2022, with Mr Abramovich sanctioned after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February that year.
The UK government wants the money to be for Ukrainian humanitarian aid, but Mr Abramovich has said he wants it to go to "all victims of the war in Ukraine".
Save the Children UK’s Director of Campaigns Alison Griffin said:
“We welcome any progress toward unlocking Ukraine’s frozen billions. But let’s be clear: dragging this through the court’s risks tying up urgently needed funds for years to come.
“This money has sat idle long enough gathering dust and interest while Ukrainian children endure the trauma of a brutal war now in its fourth year. Every delay has a human cost.
“The Government must exhaust every alternative, including political negotiation, before heading down a legal path that could stall vital support.
“These funds were frozen to protect vulnerable people impacted by the conflict and must be released without further delay. All parties must prioritise the wellbeing of children and get this money released so it can used where it’s most needed as soon as possible.”
Save the Children has been working in Ukraine since 2014. Since 24 February 2022, the children’s rights agency has dramatically scaled up its operations and now has a team of 250 staff based in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Mykolaiv, Dnipro, Donetsk and Chernivtsi. Working with more than 25 partners, the organisation has provided essential support and reached more than 3.4 million people, including around 1.4 million children.
ENDS
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