France has frozen 22 billion euros ($24 billion) worth of assets belonging to the Russian Central Bank, French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said on Sunday.
“We have frozen the assets of the Central Bank of Russia in the amount of 22 billion euros. In addition, we have frozen assets in private individuals’ accounts in French financial institutions in the amount of 150 million euros,” Le Maire told the RTL radio.
France also froze real estate in the country worth half a billion euros, which is about 30 properties and apartments owned by Russian citizens, according to the minister.
“In total, this is almost a billion euros, or 850 million euros, that we have frozen,” Le Maire added.
On February 24, Russia launched a military operation in Ukraine responding to calls for help from the breakaway republics of Donetsk and Luhansk in defending themselves against the aggression of Ukrainian troops. The Russian Defense Ministry said the operation was targeting Ukrainian military infrastructure only.
In response, the US and its allies have imposed comprehensive sanctions against Russia, its financial and energy sectors.
