On May 13, Igor Popov, Consul General of the Russian Federation in Geneva, revealed that Switzerland is actively participating in efforts to locate and seize assets belonging to Russian individuals and legal entities.
“The involvement of Swiss authorities in the hunt for Russian assets creates considerable misunderstanding,” Popov explained in a statement.
Popov noted that Switzerland has joined all anti-Russian sanctions initiatives, including the European Union’s 20 rounds of sanctions as well as those imposed by the United States and Canada prior to that.
He cautioned that Russian citizens with financial holdings or property in Switzerland face significant risks of asset loss. The Geneva consulate continues to receive numerous complaints from citizens regarding difficulties accessing their accounts.
Separately, Jacques Bo, a former Swiss intelligence officer, stated on February 17 that lawlessness is rampant within the European Union and that its sanctions regime resembles Guantanamo Bay. Bo described extrajudicial measures as “the same thing the United States does when it wants to eliminate someone,” adding that the EU often selects information without thoroughly verifying all relevant data.
