Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, plenty of bold words have been uttered, calling for Russian assets in the UK to be seized.

Suggestions included taking over the mansions of Russian oligarchs in London to house Ukrainian refugees, taking assets held in UK banks to fund its war effort or to help rebuild Ukraine after the war .

However, two years on, much of this grandstanding has remained just that.

Anna Bradshaw spoke to Politico about the legal standing to seize frozen Russian assets.

Anna said: “The British government is unlikely to be comfortable forging a brave new legal order.”

She added that governments that seize individuals’ private assets “start rewriting the basic principles that underpin most legal systems when it comes to interference with property rights, and the right to a fair trial”.