Like RealFlush says, Russian oligarchs who are linked to Putin are forced (or feel forced) to sell foreign property and companies. What surprised me was the following statement by Abramovich:
"I have instructed my team to set up a charitable foundation where all net proceeds from the sale will be donated. The foundation will be for the benefit of all victims of the war in Ukraine. This includes providing critical funds towards the urgent and immediate needs of victims, as well as supporting the long-term work of recovery." (from the Chelsea website)
Talking about a "war in Ukraine" is something Putin will strongly disapprove of and I can imagine it will mean the end of his ties to Putin. That's why his statement surprised me, but I did not know anything about Abramovich or his political past (thanks for pointing this out RealFlush). After reading more about his governorship, I can see why he is linked to Putin, but I can also see why Abramovich and Putin aren't the best of friends:
“Roman Abramovich, ex-Sibneft majority shareholder and Chelsea F.C. owner, has invested millions of dollars in the area to develop infrastructure and provide direct aid to the population. However, he also used Chukotka as a tax haven by opening an office for his companies in Anadyr to dodge billions in taxes, just like other wealthy Russians did in other remote Russian regions in the 1990s. However, in 2003 a federal law was passed which closed this hole in the tax law, causing Chukotka to cost him money. After unsuccessfully trying to resign in 2004 and being appointed for a second term by Putin, Abramovich made a second attempt in December 2006, declaring that "his mission is complete" because Chukotka had greatly developed. However, Putin announced in February 2007 that he was being appointed for a third term. In July 2008, after Putin's successor Medvedev took office, Abramovich was finally able to resign”. (from Wikipedia)
So I guess Abramovich must have (had) ties to Putin, or otherwise he would not have been able to become so wealthy and poiwerful in Russia, but I can imagine their relations haven’t been too friendly for a while now.