Rome, Sep 23 (IANS): Police Tuesday froze Italian assets worth 30 million euros ($38,598,000) belonging to powerful Russian businessman Arkadi Rotenberg under European Union sanctions against Moscow over its role in Ukraine.
The assets owned by Rotenberg, 62, include three villas on the holiday island of Sardinia and a four-star hotel in central Rome, ANSA news agency reported.
Rotenberg is a professional martial arts instructor and an old friend of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
He is the fifth on the list of businessmen affected by EU sanctions against Russia for allegedly fuelling the pro-Russia uprising in eastern Ukraine.
On Tuesday, Rotenberg termed the asset freeze as "illegitimate" and "absurd".