Russian Billionaire Andrey Melnichenko

A European Union decision to extend sanctions against Russian billionaire Andrey Melnichenko to his wife is "irrational" because she has never held Russian citizenship or resided in Russia, a representative for the couple said on Saturday.

A day after coal and fertilizer billionaire Andrey Melnichenko was placed on the European Union's sanctions list on March 9, his superyacht Motor Yacht A stopped broadcasting its location while in Maldives' waters, maritime data shows.

A European Union decision to extend sanctions against Russian billionaire Andrey Melnichenko to his wife is "irrational" because she has never held Russian citizenship or resided in Russia, a representative for the couple said on Saturday.

A day after coal and fertilizer billionaire Andrey Melnichenko was placed on the European Union's sanctions list on March 9, his superyacht Motor Yacht A stopped broadcasting its location while in Maldives' waters, maritime data shows.