Roman Abramovich, the Russian billionaire and owner of Chelsea Football Club, has announced he and his wife will separate.
Mr Abramovich, who is Jewish, and Dasha Zhukova, an art collector and gallery director, met in 2005 before marrying in 2008. They are parents to two children.
A joint statement released this week read: “After 10 years, the two of us have made the difficult decision to separate, but we remain close friends, parents, and partners in the projects we developed together.”
The 50-year-old businessman’s wealth was estimated at about £7 billion by Forbes this year, making him the 139th richest person in the world.
On top of owning Chelsea FC, Mr Abramovich also sponsors youth sports in his native Russia, and has built more than 50 football pitches across the country.
Ms Zhukova, the daughter of a Russian oil magnate, is known for founding the Garage gallery in Moscow in 2008, which has become one of the most reputable art museums in the country.
The pair have also sponsored artistic and cultural projects in St Petersburg.
Ms Zhukova, 36, is Mr Abramovich’s third wife. He separated from his previous partner, Irina Malandina, with whom he has five children, in 2007, with a divorce settlement of about £230 million.
