Is Roman Abramovich moving to Tel Aviv?

Billionaire Roman Abramovich could be set to emigrate to Israel after the UK failed to renew his visa leaving the oligarch stranded in his native Russia. 

Israel Hayom newspaper claimed the Chelsea FC owner was building a ‘huge house’ in a Tel Aviv suburb, with reports suggesting he could be expected to arrive today. 

Despite the paper’s claims, Tel Aviv and Moscow today both said they had no information on reports of Abramovich seeking to emigrate to Israel.

While a spokeswoman at the Israeli Ministry of Aliyah and Integration told Russia’s state-owned Sputnik news agency: ‘This is a sort of rumour.

‘We know the names of people arriving at airports today, we receive this information. Abramovich’s name is not [on the list].’

She had no information on whether the tycoon intended to repatriate to Israel at all.

The Kremlin said Vladimir Putin was unaware of any attempt by Abramovich to seek Israeli citizenship.

Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: ‘No, the Kremlin is not aware of it. We do not monitor the movements and visits of entrepreneurs.’

Lately, the billionaire is believed to have been based mostly in Russia.

Despite the paper’s claims, Tel Aviv and Moscow today both said they had no information on reports of Abramovich seeking to emigrate to Israel

Israeli newspaper Globes reported in April 2015 that the oligarch had acquired Versano hotel in Neve Tsedek for almost £19 million.

It was the first real estate he had purchased in the country.

The Russian multi-millionaire also reportedly bought a plot of land of 1,500 square metres adjacent to the hotel.

Lately, the billionaire is believed to have been based mostly in Russia

He is known to be a regular visitor to Israel.

His father’s family were Lithuanian Jews cruelly forced by Stalin to uproot, with his ancestors forced to live in ‘internal exile’ close to the Arctic and in Siberia.  

A source close to Abramovich today declined to comment on the Israeli reports