SQUATTERS have taken over a Russian billionaire’s £15million mansion in one of Britain’s most exclusive streets.
The group are believed to have broken into the Grade II listed home in London’s Eaton Square earlier this week.
Incredible images from inside the mansion - thought to have been empty ever since oligarch Andrey Goncharenko bought it in 2014 - show the squatters have made themselves right at home.
Squatter Tom Fox, 23, said they plan to open up the huge Belgravia house, which used to be a Spanish school, as a homeless shelter, adding that Goncharenko had left the house "to rot" since he bought it.
He said: "We've said jokingly if the owner gives us £50,000, we'll leave.
"It's just making a point about fighting capitalism with capitalism.
"I don't think I'd want to sit down and have a discussion with him - I don't know him, but I don't think we'd agree on things.
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"As a professional squatter, we can easily identify buildings to occupy and this was one - it's clearly empty and had dusty windows.
"It wasn't particularly politically aimed to start with - I just thought it was funny because he's rich - but he's just left this major investment to rot.
"It's stale assets, stale money - if he has plans to renovate, why can't he let the homeless stay in the meantime?"
Above the front door is a small banner which reads "USA ANTI-GOVERNMENT IN EXILE".
And from one of the flag poles is a black flag with the words "Antifaschistische Aktion" - an Anti fascist network from continental Europe.
The house is one of four purchased by the billionaire over a three-year period, including Hanover Lodge, in exclusive Regent's Park, for which he paid £120million making it one of the UK's most expensive homes.
The house, built in 1829, has had planning permission since September, but no work has been started on the palatial home.
The billionaire had hoped to build a mega-basement complete with swimming pool, sauna, steam room, gym, jacuzzi and massage room.
Plans for the rest of the 15,000 square foot home include two huge reception rooms, a playroom and six bedrooms - with the sprawling master suite across the second floor including his and hers living rooms, dressing rooms and bathrooms.
Much of the house is currently designed as office space, as the building was previously used as a Spanish cultural centre.
The whole first floor is a library, with the second floor as classrooms and the third and fourth used as offices.
Tom says in the meantime, the Belgravia home should be used to house the homeless.
Despite the home having been empty for two years, the squatters have now been served with a court date, before bailiffs try and force the group out by February 10.
Tom said: "We've got a court date on February 7 and the likelihood is we'll have three days before they try and eject us.
"Squatting should be legalised - why don't they open up vacant, habitable buildings and assign volunteers to keep watch and look after homes?”
Alleged computer hacker Lauri Love, 32, who faces up to 99 years in prison if extradited to the US, has visited the site.
He shared photos from inside with his followers.
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