Squatters of multi-million dollar Vossiusstraat property return key to Russian billionaire

The squatters of the building on Vossiusstraat have left the mansion of Russian billionaire Arkady Volozh. The squatters handed in the keys this morning after an arrangement had been made with the Russian and thus avoided summary proceedings. In total, they used the multi-million dollar building at the Vondelpark for almost seventeen months.

Volozh was on the European sanctions list for almost two years because his company Yandex – the Russian version of Google – allegedly manipulated search results and thus supported the war that Russia is waging. But after the Russian billionaire gave up his position as CEO at Yandex and condemned the war, the EU removed him from the sanctions list.

With the disappearance of his name from the sanctions list, his property was also removed from the freezer and Volozj was allowed to travel to the EU again. But since October 2022, his million-dollar home in the South has been occupied by squatters who had won both a summary judgment and an appeal. According to Volozh’s lawyer, the Russian billionaire and the squatters reached an arrangement that allowed the squatters to leave the building without any problems.

Volozh to Amsterdam?

Now that the mansion is empty again, the question remains whether Volozj will move into the house. The Russian billionaire has not lived in Russia for some time, but in Israel, and a source close to him previously told NOS that a visit to the house was ‘high on his list’.

Volozh’s lawyer cannot yet say anything about whether the Russian will use the property. “First we have to see how smoothly it is possible.” According to the lawyer, it depends on the condition of the house. “There were squatters in the building for a year and a half. If they are normal and decent squatters, you might be able to move in again tomorrow. If that is not the case, it will of course take time.”

The lawyer could not yet say anything about whether Volozj will file a case against the squatters for any damage they have caused.