Berezovsky to pay rival's £35m costs

The Russian oligarch Boris Berezovsky has agreed to pay £35m towards the legal bills of Roman Abramovich after losing his High Court battle with the Chelsea Football Club owner.

The legal journal The Lawyer has said the case is thought to have generated "total fees" of more than £100m, though the High Court was yesterday given no detail of the costs run up by Mr Berezovsky.

Mr Berezovsky, 66, had sued unsuccessfully for £3bn in damages, accusing Mr Abramovich, 45, of blackmail, breach of trust and breach of contract in Russia. The claims were dismissed by Mrs Justice Gloster, who described Mr Berezovsky as "dishonest".