Former Sevastopol mayor faces charges for circumventing sanctions

Dmitrii Ovsiannikov, 48, a former mayor of Sevastopol, is on trial for violating sanctions. He is accused of circumventing financial restrictions between February 2023 and January 2024. The case reveals that Ovsiannikov's family used significant amounts of money in the UK. They allegedly spent tens of thousands on a Mercedes car and private school fees for his children. The prosecution claims Ovsiannikov opened a bank account under false pretenses to access funds despite being sanctioned. Ovsiannikov's wife, Ekaterina, 47, is also implicated. She transferred nearly £76,000 into his account, with some funds used to buy the car. Both she and Ovsiannikov's brother, Alexei, 47, face charges of assisting in these transactions, which the court claims amounted to money laundering. Ovsiannikov, who was appointed by President Vladimir Putin, was designated as a sanctioned person by the European Union in 2017. Despite this, he managed to obtain a British passport in 2023 shortly before receiving significant funds from his wife. The trial details how they all allegedly conspired to ignore the sanctions. The defense argues they were unaware of the legal implications. The court proceedings continue as prosecutors present their evidence.