Kyiv: The domestic security service of Ukraine announced on Thursday that it had seized assets worth more than $280 million that belonged to a billionaire exiled there whom it accuses of supporting Russia.

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has announced the seizure of Vadym Novynskyi's property for the second time this year. It announced in April that it had seized his assets, which were estimated to be worth $96 million.

An inquiry for comments was not immediately answered by Novynskyi's representatives. In the previous property seizure last month, they claimed that Novynskyi was a Ukrainian patriot and that the seized assets no longer belonged to him.

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Prior to now, Novynskyi's defenders have refuted the charge that he has helped Russia.

The Ochakiv seaport in southern Ukraine was among the assets the SBU claimed to have seized, with a value of more than 10.5 billion hryvnias ($284.40 million), according to a statement.

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In December, Kiev imposed sanctions on Novynskyi and a number of Ukrainian Orthodox Church leaders. Kiev accuses this minority church of maintaining close ties to Russia, which invaded Ukraine in February 2022.

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The church, which claims it severed all ties to Russia last year and that it is the target of a political witch hunt, has the billionaire as a prominent supporter.