Abramovich ends 16-year marriage

Roman Abramovich, the billionaire businessman, has divorced in Russia just months after denying that his 16-year marriage was in trouble. The owner of Chelsea Football Club and Irina, his second wife, issued a statement last night confirming that their marriage was over.

Although no details of the settlement were disclosed, it is likely that Mrs Abramovich has secured a substantial share of the oligarch's o11 billion fortune. Speculation was rife last year that Mrs Abramovich would be in line for a o5 billion payout.

The Russian divorce is likely to have been more beneficial to Mr Abramovich. An English divorce would have threatened his business empire because English courts treat marriage partners equally.

"Mr Abramovich's corporate interests, including Chelsea Football Club, are not affected by the divorce proceedings. Mr and Mrs Abramovich would appreciate it if the family's privacy would be respected. No further comment will be made."

The news comes as The Sun newspaper reported that Mr Abramovich was this week seen in Paris with Daria Zhukova, 25, a Russian former model. Mr Abramovich has always insisted that he and Ms Zhukova are just family friends.

Last October Mr Abramovich issued a rare public statement insisting that no member of his family had filed for divorce. It said suggestions that the couple were facing difficulties were untrue.

It was reported at the time that Mr Abramovich's wife had been seen visiting the offices of Sears Tooth, the family law solicitors, in Park Lane, London.Mr Abramovich, 40, met his second wife, Irina Malandina, 39, when she was a stewardess for Aeroflot, the Russian airline, and he was sufficiently well-connected in the communist state to be able to fly abroad.

The couple, who have five children, married in October 1991 after he left his first wife, Olga, who said that she never asked for nor received a rouble from her former husband.

Now Britain's second-richest man, and the world's eleventh wealthiest, the man behind the biggest takeover in football history began his business selling plastic ducks in Moscow. He made his fortune by exploiting post Soviet Russia's oil and aluminium assets.

Today he has a house in Belgravia worth an estimated o28 million, as well as an o18 million estate in West Sussex. He owns a o10 million villa in St Tropez, superyachts worth more than o200 million and a Boeing 737 and 767.

Times