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Here are the superyachts seized from Russian oligarchs

As part of an international pressure campaign on Russia, authorities from around the world have seized more than a half-dozen superyachts belonging to billionaire oligarchs allied with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The yacht seizures since the Feb. 24 invasion are "just the beginning," White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters in March, as an international task force worked to identify further assets that can be seized or frozen.

“The Justice Department will be relentless in our efforts to hold accountable those who facilitate the death and destruction we are witnessing in Ukraine,” U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said of the ongoing efforts in May.

Here are the superyachts government officials have seized since Russia invaded Ukraine last month.

The Justice Department announced May 5 that the Fijian government had seized billionaire oligarch Suleiman Kerimov 's 348-foot yacht Amadea. The vessel, which is valued at more than $300 million , arrived in Fiji last month. Kerimov, who's worth an estimated $14 billion and has ties to the Russian government, was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department over alleged money laundering in 2018.

Special features on the sprawling yacht include a helipad, infinity pool, a jacuzzi and multiple bars, according to a report in Boat International . It can accommodate 16 overnight guests in addition to 36 crew members, the report said.

In April, Spanish law-enforcement officials seized a 255-foot yacht called the Tango, which Justice Department says is owned by oligarch Viktor Vekselberg. Vekselberg is an aluminum magnate who the Treasury Department says has close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The Tango is worth an estimated $90 million, prosecutors said , and Vekselberg allegedly purchased it through shell companies. The 11-year-old yacht has seven staterooms and reportedly includes amenities such as a pool, gym and beauty salon .

Authorities in Italy seized a 215-foot superyacht called the Lady M this month. It's owned by Alexei Mordashov, Russia's richest businessman, and it’s estimated to be worth $27 million . The vessel, which requires a crew of 14, has six guest cabins , a pool and a gym.

But it pales in comparison to another of Mordashov's yachts, the $500 million Nord . The 464-foot vessel, which has two helipads and a waterfall and can accommodate 36 guests, was anchored this month in the Seychelles, where the U.S. and European Union sanctions don’t apply.

Italian officials also seized the 132-foot superyacht Lena, owned by the energy magnate Gennady Timchenko. Estimated to be worth $8 million, it has five cabins and can accommodate 10 guests.

SY A — short for Sailing Yacht A — is one of the world's largest superyachts. Valued at over $440 million, the 469-foot vessel, owned by the fertilizer magnate Andrey Melnichenko, has eight decks, multiple elevators, an underwater observation area and the world's tallest masts . It was seized in the Italian port of Trieste.

Authorities in Spain seized Sergei Chemezov's Valerie, a 279-foot superyacht that had been moored in Barcelona. Chemezov , a former KGB officer, heads the state conglomerate Rostec. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez touted the seizure on La Sexta television. “We are talking about a yacht that we estimate is worth $140 million,” Sanchez said.

Officials in France announced this month that they had seized the 289-foot Amore Vero, which was undergoing repairs in a shipyard near Marseille. When they arrived, authorities said, they found the crew preparing for an urgent departure, even though the repair work was scheduled to last through April. The $120 million boat, which has seven cabins , is linked to Igor Sechin, described by the U.S. Treasury Department as a close ally of Putin's.

Dareh Gregorian is a politics reporter for NBC News.

Russische Superyachten im Wert von zwei Milliarden Euro beschlagnahmt

Mindestens 13 Schiffe wurden seit Russlands Invasion in der Ukraine in Europa beschlagnahmt oder gepfändet, zuletzt die 95-Millionen-Dollar-Yacht „Tango" in Spanien.

Mehr als ein Dutzend Superyachten wurden in den letzten fünf Wochen in europäischen Häfen beschlagnahmt oder gepfändet. Die Aktionen sind Teil der Sanktionen gegen russische Milliardäre.

Von Hamburg bis Mallorca liegen nunmehr mindestens 13 der schwimmenden Paläste vor Anker, nur mit Notbesatzungungen an Bord. Behörden in den USA, Großbritannien und der Europäischen Union haben die Schiffe ins Visier genommen, um das Vermögen reicher Russen einzufrieren, denen Verbindungen zum Kreml und Präsident Wladimir Putin nachgesagt werden.

Die größte und teuerste der beschlagnahmten Superyachten ist die Dilbar, eine 156 Meter lange Motoryacht im Besitz von Alisher Usmanow, der von den USA, dem Vereinigten Königreich und der EU sanktioniert wurde.

Erbauer Lürssen nannte das Schiff “eine der komplexesten und anspruchsvollsten Yachten, die je gebaut wurden.” Sie hat zwei Hubschrauberlandeplätze und mit 25 Metern den größten Pool, der jemals auf einer Yacht installiert wurde. Nach Angaben des Datenanbieters VesselsValue ist sie zwischen 587 und 625 Millionen Dollar wert. Das Schiff liegt seit etwa einem Monat in Hamburg.

95-Millionen-Dollar-Yacht in Spanien beschlagnahmt

Zuletzt wurde am Montag die 95-Millionen-Dollar-Yacht Tango des russischen Milliardärs Viktor Vekselberg in Spanien beschlagnahmt. Das geschah auf Ersuchen der USA, wo Vekselberg mit Sanktionen belegt ist. Zwei nicht identifizierte Angestellte eines Unternehmens, das Dienstleistungen für das Schiff anbietet, waren die Hauptquellen der Information, dass er der Eigentümer ist. Die Beschlagnahmung wurde durch die Task Force KleptoCapture des Justizministeriums koordiniert und war die erste ihrer Art, obwohl Generalstaatsanwalt Merrick Garland sagte, dass es nicht die letzte sein wird. Guardia Civil-Offiziere bewachen die Tango in Palma de Mallorca am 4. April.

Insgesamt haben die beschlagnahmten Superyachten der sanktionierten Russen einen Wert von umgerechnet mehr als zwei Milliarden Euro. Viele sind luxuriös ausgestattet - mit Infinity-Pools, Spas und Kristallleuchtern.

Auch während der Liegezeiten im Hafen müssen die Schiffe von Spezialisten gewartet werden. Für die Besatzungen, deren Gehälter womöglich von sanktionierten Personen gezahlt werden, und für die Häfen, die auf Liegegebühren der Schiffseigner angewiesen sind, kann das ein Problem werden.

Reise in freundliche Gewässer

Einige Schiffe in russischem Besitz haben sich derweil bereits in freundlichere Gewässer verabschiedet und damit den Behörden entzogen. Zwei Superyachten von Roman Abramowitsch, die zusammen weit über eine Milliarde Dollar wert sind, sind in den letzten Wochen von Barcelona und St. Martin in der Karibik in die Türkei ausgelaufen. Die 142 Meter lange Nord des Stahltycoons Alexei Mordaschow, die erst letztes Jahr von Lürssen ausgeliefert wurde, ist auf dem Weg nach Wladiwostok in Russland. Andere Schiffe nehmen Kurs auf Dubai oder haben sogar ihre Transponder abgeschaltet, damit sie nicht auffindbar sind.

(Bloomberg)

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The U.S. seized Russian oligarchs' superyachts. Now, American taxpayers pay the price

Ayesha Rascoe

Ayesha Rascoe speaks with Stephanie Baker, senior writer at Bloomberg News, about the complications involved in seizing and maintaining superyachts owned by sanctioned Russian billionaires.

AYESHA RASCOE, HOST:

When the U.S. and its allies looked for ways to sanction the Russian elite, they zeroed in on their superyachts, filled with luxuries like heated pools and wine cellars. But as Stephanie Baker reports, the powerful symbolism of seizing a superyacht is followed by the expense of maintaining those pools and wine cellars and everything else aboard these floating palaces. Stephanie Baker is a senior writer at Bloomberg News, and she joins us now. Thanks for being with us.

STEPHANIE BAKER: Thanks for having me.

RASCOE: So you've written a series of articles on the West's seizure of these yachts from Russian oligarchs. What have you learned about what goes into maintaining these types of boats? Like, you can't just let them sit at the dock?

BAKER: No, it's not a case of turning off the lights, locking up the door and leaving them until the war in Ukraine is over. These things take an enormous amount of money to maintain. Even stuck in ports, they have to be staffed with a, you know, minimal crew to be on board in case of accidents, fires, fuel spills, the like. You know, for insurance purposes, insurance is another cost. They need to be washed so they don't entail a multimillion-dollar repaint job. And, you know, it's an incredibly costly process and complicated.

RASCOE: Is part of the issue they don't know what they're going to do with them?

BAKER: Well, in the case of the U.S., they have vowed to sell them eventually through a complicated process called forfeiture, where they have to go before a judge and prove that this superyacht has been bought with the proceeds of crime or involved in some kind of crime. And that is a lengthy, difficult process, especially in the case of Russian-linked superyachts because it's not always clear who the owner is. One forfeiture expert compared it to seizing the proceeds of a drug lord. A drug lord may not have his mansion in his own name. It would be in his girlfriend's name. So there's a long process to establish not who owns it on paper, but who's really controlling it, who's directing it, who's making decisions about it.

RASCOE: So when the U.S. or the EU seizes a yacht, the cost of maintaining that yacht - it actually goes to the taxpayers, right? Like, so how much money are we talking about that taxpayers are paying?

BAKER: It is U.S. taxpayers that are paying for it, at least until they do sell it and then can recoup the costs. Typically, it costs 10% of a superyacht's value to maintain it. But when it's frozen in port, the cost will obviously be less. It's not eating as much fuel by cruising at sea. I did a lot of reporting to try to establish, what are the real costs of keeping these things in port. And I came to a pretty conservative estimate of something like 3%. Now, in the case of one superyacht, the one that the U.S. government seized and sailed from Fiji to San Diego, I established that the annual costs of keeping that in port are about 10 million a year.

RASCOE: So 10 million a year. That's for one yacht?

BAKER: That's for one yacht.

RASCOE: For one yacht.

BAKER: And that's a conservative estimate.

RASCOE: OK. And so all together, do you have any sense of how much that might be?

BAKER: Well, globally, including the EU and the U.K. - they've seized more than 15 superyachts. And we're talking tens of millions. But if you're a sanctioned Russian oligarch with your asset frozen in a port, how long are you really going to pay? So we're looking at potentially years of litigation over these vessels about who's paying, you know, the maintenance. And they're essentially going to be in sort of legal purgatory for many years.

RASCOE: And so, I mean, most of us will never step foot on a superyacht. So it's hard for us to imagine. What is the most outrageous luxury that you've come across or one that, you know, really stood out to you?

BAKER: Right. So I went to the Monaco Yacht Show at the end of September and got on board one of the most luxurious, expensive superyachts. It was just the most incredible floating mansion. It had hand-painted bathrooms, handmade curved bar, a pool, elaborate bedrooms, you know, very high ceilings, multiple decks. They are the most extravagant status symbol, really, amongst the billionaire class.

RASCOE: That's Stephanie Baker, senior writer at Bloomberg News. Thank you so much.

BAKER: Thank you for having me.

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US, allies seizing luxury yachts of Russian oligarchs in sanctions for war on Ukraine

As economic reprisals continue against russia, super-yachts worth millions are impounded in european ports to punish putin allies..

The U.S. and its allies are seizing Russian billionaires' luxury yachts – some of them longer than a football field and equipped with helipads, swimming pools and wine cellars – as part of sanctions against Russia for its brutal war on Ukraine .

At least 13 ships, with a combined value of  more than $2 billion , are reported to have been impounded since March 2. Though value estimates vary, the most expensive one is assessed at $600 million.

The vessels are owned by wealthy oligarchs , Russian businessmen with ties to President Vladimir Putin. U.S. and European Union sanctions, intended to put financial pressure on Russia, are freezing the assets of Putin associates. Those assets include bank accounts, property and possessions, including aircraft and yachts.

Seizing yachts, however, usually comes with costly and time-consuming problems for their owners and the impounding authority, and it can result in damage to the ships as well.

Whose yachts have been seized?

• Size: 280 ft.
• Value: $120 million
• Owned by: Igor Sechin, CEO, Russian state oil company Rosneft; sanctioned Feb. 28
• Seized in: France
• When: March 2
• Size: 126 ft.
• Value: $8 million
• Owned by: Gennady Timchenko, energy magnate; sanctioned March 24
• Seized in: Italy
• When: March 5
• Size: 215 ft.
• Value:  Up to $70 million
• Owned by: Alexei Mordashov, Russia's richest businessman; sanctioned Feb. 28
• When: March 7

Sailing Yacht A

• Size: 469 ft.
• Value: $580 million
• Owned by: Andrey Melnichenko, fertilizer magnate; sanctioned March 9
• Size: 279 ft.
• Value: $140 million
• Owned by: Sergey Chemezov, former KGB officer who heads Rostec, a Russian industrial and military conglomerate; sanctioned April 28
• Seized in: Spain
• When: March 14

Lady Anastasia

• Size: 157 ft.
• Owned by: Alexander Mikheyev, a former KGB officer who heads Rosoboronoexport, the Russian weapons exporting group; sanctioned March 15
• When: March 15
• Size: 443 ft.
• Value: $600 million
• Owned by: Unknown; Reuters  reports Igor Sechin is believed to be owner
• When: March 16

The Royal Romance

• Size: 302 ft.
• Value: $200 million
• Owned by: Viktor Medvedchuk, leader of Ukraine's main pro-Russia party; sanctioned Feb. 19
• Seized in: Croatia

The Little Bear

• Size: 56 ft.
• Value: $22 million
• Owned by: Alexey Kuzmichev, co-founder of Alfa-Bank, Russia’s largest private bank; sanctioned March 15
• Size: 236 ft.
• Value: $75 million
• Owned by: Dmitry Pumpyansky, owner of TMK, Russia's largest steel pipe maker; sanctioned March 15
• Seized in: Gibraltar, a British territory
• When: March 21

The Big Bear

• Size: 85 ft.
• Value: $77 million
• Size: 192 ft.
• Value: $50 million
• Owned by: Vitaly Vasilievich Kochetkov, founder of mobile network Motiv Telecom;  not on the UK sanctions list
• Seized in: Great Britain
• When: March 29
• Size: 255 ft.
• Value: $90 million
• Owned by: Viktor Vekselberg, who heads the Renova Group, a Russian conglomerate with interests in aluminum, oil, energy, telecoms and other industries; sanctioned March 11
• When: April 4

It's expensive to seize a yacht

"We are joining with our European allies to find and seize your yachts , your luxury apartments, your private jets," President Joe Biden said while announcing sanctions in his State of the Union address March 1, addressing Russian oligarchs.

Seizing a yacht prevents an owner from using it. The impounding authority must first prove the yacht belongs to an oligarch, which is often difficult because many owners hide behind shell companies . Once ownership is established, the seized yacht must stay in port.

It also has to stay in the water. Most of the yachts are too big to be put in dry storage facilities. The 433-foot-long Crescent, for example, is almost half the length of the RMS Titanic .

Yacht owners are technically responsible for maintaining their ships even after they're seized. Such maintenance can cost millions of dollars  a year. Sometimes owners refuse to pay.

It's often unclear who pays for upkeep of the ships while legal battles are being fought. In France, for example, La Ciotat Shipyards said it doesn't know where to send mooring fees for the yacht Amore Vero.

Without maintenance, there's a risk of corrosion. Lengthy exposure can result in hull damage for neglected ships. Even long-term sunlight can weaken hatch and window seals and allow rain to enter.

If they sink, yachts can become environmental hazards .

What happens to seized yachts?

Any asset that is seized under sanction usually isn't confiscated. Yacht owners generally retain ownership, but their ships are confined to port and can't be moved or sold.

Governments must connect a seized asset to a crime  before the asset can be confiscated. Proving that oligarchs committed a crime and connecting their yachts to the crime could be difficult, according to legal scholars.

Oligarchs will likely fight in courts to reclaim their impounded vessels. Some court cases could last years.

In Congress, a bipartisan bill that would transfer seized Russian assets to Ukrainian rebuilding efforts was introduced by four members of the House on March 22.

40 other yachts are docked in limbo

Germany: The 512-foot yacht Dilbar, owned by Russian businessman Alisher Usmanov, hasn't been officially seized, but it remains in Hamburg and is not permitted to leave , Bloomberg reported March 2. The yacht is valued at $600 million.

Norway: The 223-foot yacht Ragnar also hasn't been seized, but it is stranded in Narvik after Norwegian suppliers refused to sell it fuel in mid-March. The yacht is owned by Vladimir Strzhalkovsky, a former KGB officer and confidant of Putin's.

Finland: The Finnish government is holding 21 luxury yachts , all in winter storage, while officials determine whether they're owned by Russian oligarchs. The detainment was reported on March 23. The government is also holding a 105-foot yacht believed to be owned by former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev .

The Netherlands: The Dutch government impounded 14 Russian-owned yachts in shipyards around the country, Marine Industry News reported April 6. Twelve of them are under construction. The Netherlands is considered a global hub for yacht building and maintenance.

Italy: Authorities are trying to identify the owner of  the Scheherazade , a 460-foot yacht that may be owned by Putin. The ship, estimated to be worth $700 million, is docked in the town of Massa in Tuscany.

SOURCE USA TODAY Network reporting and research; Associated Press; Marine Industry News; superyachts.com

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Russian oligarch’s seized superyacht sold for $37.5m

Axioma, which had been owned by Dmitry Pumpyansky, auctioned after being impounded in Gibraltar

A luxury superyacht taken from a Russian oligarch facing sanctions has been sold to an undisclosed buyer for $37.5m (£35m) in the first sale of its kind since Russia invaded Ukraine.

The 72.5-metre Axioma was seized from the steel billionaire Dmitry Pumpyansky in March after sanctions by the UK, EU and the US .

However, the yacht, which features a swimming pool, a 3D cinema room, a gym, a Jacuzzi and a fully equipped spa – was not sold for the benefit of the Ukrainian people but for a US investment bank, JP Morgan , which claims Pumpyansky owes it €20.5m.

The yacht was impounded by the Gibraltar authorities in March, after a court claim from JP Morgan. The Office of the Admiralty Marshal, a branch of Gibraltar’s supreme court, oversaw its auction in August, which attracted 63 bids.

“The Admiralty Marshal has today sold the MY Axioma following payment into court of $37.5m by the successful bidder,” the court said in a statement on Tuesday. “The bid was selected after completion of an enhanced due diligence process, but the Admiralty Marshal will not be disclosing the identity of the buyer.”

Pumpyansky was until March of this year the owner and chair of the steel pipe manufacturer OAO TMK, a supplier to the Russian state-owned energy company Gazprom. The UK said the billionaire, who it said had built up an estimated £1.84bn fortune, was one of the oligarchs “closest to Putin” .

The yacht was detained by the Gibraltar government after a legal claim from JP Morgan , which said Pumpyansky’s holding company Pyrene Investments owed it €20.5m.

JP Morgan said the fact the billionaire had been subjected to sanctions meant the terms of the loan had been breached because it legally could not accept repayments from Pyrene, and asked the Gibraltar courts to detain and sell the yacht.

The yacht, the work of the superyacht designer Alberto Pinto, was built by Dunya Yachts in Turkey in 2013. The boat, which was originally named Red Square before being renamed Axioma, was available for other millionaires to charter for $558,500 a week.

“With its luxurious interiors, vast array of onboard facilities and a highly trained and professional crew, a luxury yacht vacation onboard motor yacht Axioma promises to be nothing short of spectacular,” the charter listing states.

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While sanctions rain down, Russian billionaires are sending their luxury yachts to hide out in the Maldives

When US President Joe Biden announced a taskforce to hunt down the assets of Russian billionaires, he made a very specific threat. 

"We will find and seize their yachts, their luxury apartments, their private jets," he said in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. 

By seizing the prized possessions of Russian oligarchs, the US and its allies hope to put pressure on the men who help keep President Vladimir Putin in power. 

And no possession appears to be more prized than their superyachts, which are more like floating mansions worth up to $800 million. 

Even before the US vowed to come for the yachts, Russia's oligarchs appeared to be anticipating the move.

Marine traffic mapping has shown a steady stream of vessels hightailing it out of the Black Sea through the Bosphorus Strait for friendly waters.

But how easy will it be to keep a slow-moving, 15,000-tonne 'pleasure craft' out of the hands of authorities? 

Putin got his tri-deck superyacht out of Germany before he launched the invasion

In late February, when war in Ukraine looked imminent, an 82-metre superyacht named Graceful suddenly left Germany where it had been docked for repairs.

The substantial renovation that included the construction of two new balconies was expected to stretch on for months.

But local media reported that Graceful made a "hasty" exit from the shipyard .

Vladimir Putin has always insisted he lives off his government salary and owns a humble apartment and a beat-up Soviet-era car.

But the superyacht community — a group of boat enthusiasts who monitor the comings and goings of the world's most luxurious vessels — insist Graceful belongs to Vladimir Putin .

The yacht was built at a shipyard used by the Russian navy, it is manned exclusively by Russian sailors, and it spends a curious amount of time anchored near Mr Putin's holiday house in Sochi.

Graceful, which boasts a helipad, enough space for 12 guests and 14 crew, and a swimming pool that can be converted into a dancefloor, reportedly cost about $135 million.

"Our design brief was interesting: something timeless," Jonny Horsfield, who oversaw the yacht's fit-out, told Boat International magazine in 2015 .

"The owner is a very confident person. He knows what he likes and he's not a slave to trends."

Graceful is now docked in Russian territorial waters in Kaliningrad , according to satellite images obtained by CBS.

Some weren't so fast — Kleptocapture is coming for the rest

While Putin's superyacht appears to be safe and sound — for now — some of his closest associates may not have been so lucky. 

Italian authorities have taken control of yachts belonging to Russian billionaires Alexey Mordashov and Gennady Timchenko.

Mr Mordashov's Lady M is in Imperia while Mr Timchenko's Lena is in Sanremo.

France has seized a yacht linked to Igor Sechin , an oil boss and former Russian deputy prime minister, in the Mediterranean port of La Ciotat.

According to the Guardian, France's Finance Minister said authorities were able to link Amore Vero to a company owned by Sechin.

Others have been trickier to trace. 

Billionaire mining magnate Alisher Usmanov was among the names on the White House's hit list when they announced the 'Kleptocapture taskforce' set up to track down oligarchs' assets.

His superyacht is valued at $US600 million and regarded by some measures as the world's biggest (but not longest) yacht.

Dilbar is currently docked at the Hamburg shipyards, but shortly after Usmanov was hit with sanctions, Forbes reported that refitting and maintenance work stopped .

According to the Forbes report, Dilbar is registered in the Cayman Islands and owned through a holding company, which made it more difficult to pin down. 

It cited a statement from Hamburg's Ministry for Economy and Innovation as saying restrictions can be imposed on a yacht owned by a sanctioned Russian individual only "if the ownership situation is clearly clarified and all these possessions are also sanctioned".

Italian authorities have also seized Mr Usmanov's Sardinian villa, and Kleptocapture has set its sights on his private jet. 

The point of "seizing" these opulent assets is not to chain them up and tug them back to an impound lot, but rather to target the deep pockets of the oligarchs who own them.

In an article for Super Yacht News , analyst Jack Hogan explained that port authorities and customs restrict their passage of movement, and that of anyone providing goods and services on board.

It puts the crew who staff these extravagant vessels in a tricky situation. 

"The reality is that crew and contractors may well be in breach of sanctions if they provide goods or services to the yacht," superyacht lawyer Duncan Bateson told Hogan. 

Oligarchs are sailing for friendlier seas without extradition treaties

Those perhaps looking to avoid the impending storm of sanctions are sending their floating mansions to an oasis: the Maldives.

Aside from its natural draw as a tropical paradise in the middle of the Indian Ocean, the Maldives also has no extradition treaty with the United States.

According to Marine Traffic, at least five Russian-owned superyachts were anchored or cruising in the Maldives last week , including several whose billionaire owners have not yet been named in sanctions lists.

Among them were Titan, owned by Alexander Abramov, a co-founder of Russian steel producer Evraz; and MySky, owned by retail and cigarette magnate Igor Kesaev.

Aluminium boss Oleg Deripaska has been subject to US sanctions since 2018 , over what the Treasury Department referred to as Russia's worldwide "malign activity", including interference in the 2016 US presidential election.

His 73-metre yacht Clio was also anchored off the coast of Male last week, according to Reuters reports.

Others seem to have their sights set on safe havens elsewhere.

Nirvana, owned by Vladimir Potanin, who is believed to be Russia's richest man , left the Maldives on March 1, headed towards the Oman Gulf.

Galactica Super Nova, owned by Russian oil baron Vagit Alekperov, reportedly left Barcelona and arrived at Tivat port, Montenegro last week. 

Eclipse, the world's second-largest private yacht, owned by Russian businessman Roman Abramovich, was last spotted off Puerto Rico in the Caribbean. Another of his yachts, the Solaris, is moored at a Turkish port in the Mediterranean.

Mr Abramovich, who is yet to come under any UK sanctions, has started selling off assets including his beloved Chelsea Football Club . He has pledged to donate any net proceeds to help victims of the war in Ukraine.

Of course, even nations like the Maldives and Montenegro, who haven't signed extradition treaties, may still negotiate with the US and other countries to secure the "ill-begotten gains".

What does seizing their yachts achieve? 

While the superyachts have become gleaming symbols of Russia's kleptocracy, their total value is likely only a tiny slice of what's been stolen from the nation over the years.

In 2018, three economists concluded that the equivalent of up to 60 per cent of Russia's GDP was being held in offshore havens .

But with Russia's economy in freefall and the favourite toys of the ultra rich under threat, some billionaires are cautiously speaking out against the war.

"Peace is very important!" Clio's owner, Oleg Deripaska, said in a social media post.

"Negotiations need to start as soon as possible!"

And Mikhail Fridman, one of Russia's richest men, said the war in Ukraine was a "tragedy" and called for the "bloodshed" to end.

"I do not make political statements, I am a businessman with responsibilities to my many thousands of employees in Russia and Ukraine," he said as sanctions were imposed on his London-based investment group," he said.

"I am convinced however that war can never be the answer. This crisis will cost lives and damage two nations who have been brothers for hundreds of years."

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U.S. Eyes $156 Million Yacht in Dubai Linked to a Russian Oligarch

The U.S. Justice Department is taking steps to seize the Madame Gu, a 324-foot luxury yacht, but it will be diplomatically thorny.

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By Kate Kelly ,  Michael Forsythe and Julian E. Barnes

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — On a clear morning in late October, the jewel-blue hull of the Madame Gu, one of the world’s most luxurious superyachts, gleamed, its aluminum rails shimmering in the sun. Workers on the pier said they had recently seen people painting, cleaning and generally keeping the ship with its helipad and six guest staterooms in pristine condition.

In past years, such a scene would not have been noteworthy. Many superyachts come and go from Dubai’s Mina Rashid Marina, best known as the home of the Queen Elizabeth 2, the trans-Atlantic ocean liner-turned-hotel that dominates the waterfront here.

But Russia’s war in Ukraine has turned an otherwise routine tableau into a diplomatic battleground between the United States and the United Arab Emirates, an important American ally that has established itself as a safe haven for Russian money and assets out of the reach of U.S. sanctions.

The $156 million Madame Gu epitomizes the problem. In June, the United States designated the vessel, which is linked to Andrei Skoch, a Russian steel magnate and lawmaker under sanctions, as blocked property. That means the yacht cannot use American companies for its upkeep, employ U.S. citizens or even use the dollar. The Justice Department is now taking steps to seize the Madame Gu, according to people with knowledge of the plan.

But the United States can’t seize property in a sovereign nation without permission from its government. The Emirates, which has taken a friendlier position toward Moscow, is balking at cooperating with the United States to pursue oligarchs, American officials said. The Kremlin is also using oligarch-controlled companies in the Emirates to acquire war supplies that the West is trying to keep out of Russia’s reach, according to a Western official involved in the sanctions effort against Russia.

Emirati officials did not comment specifically on the Madame Gu but said in a statement that they took their role “protecting the integrity of the global financial system extremely seriously.”

A closer examination of Russian assets in the Emirates shows that even before the war in Ukraine, Dubai had become a playground for Russians with links to President Vladimir V. Putin. At least 38 businessmen or officials with ties to the Russian president own homes in Dubai that are collectively valued at more than $314 million, according to the Center for Advanced Defense Studies. Five of those owners are under U.S. sanctions.

Since the Russian invasion, Dubai has established itself as a safe haven for Russian yachts and aircraft unable to sail or fly elsewhere. After Russian jets were barred from the European Union in late February, the Emirates became the destination for 14 percent of all private flights leaving Russia, up from 3 percent before the invasion.

“It’s frustrating when you see huge assets that are sitting out there and it appears that the country is not cooperating,” said Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, Democrat of Rhode Island, referring to the Emirates. “It would be nice if there were more common cause against Putin while he’s busy shelling hospitals and schools.”

Mr. Whitehouse is sponsoring legislation that would use proceeds of the sales of seized Russian assets to help rebuild Ukraine. Senior officials at the Treasury and State Departments have also complained publicly about the situation.

U.S. officials view the presence of superyachts in places like Dubai and Bodrum, Turkey , as a symptom of wider Russian circumvention of sanctions and continued access to financial markets. Yachts have also come to symbolize the decadence of Russia’s oligarchs, especially at a time when Russian soldiers are scrounging for body armor and sleeping bags on the front lines.

Pursuing the Madame Gu

Built by the Dutch firm Feadship and put into service in 2013, the Madame Gu has a large helicopter pad on its forecastle with a hangar underneath that can double as a squash court when the chopper isn’t on board. The vessel has berthing for 36 crew members, according to one trade magazine.

Mr. Skoch, a member of Russia’s Parliament who is linked to assets worth billions of dollars, according to U.S. court filings, has had sanctions imposed on him twice by the United States, first in 2018 and then after Russia’s invasion this year. The Treasury Department has cited his “longstanding ties to Russian organized criminal groups.”

Mr. Skoch could not be reached and did not respond to messages left at his office at Parliament.

In an interview in October about the government’s broader efforts to go after the assets of oligarchs, Andrew Adams, a federal prosecutor leading the Department of Justice’s KleptoCapture task force, declined to discuss the Madame Gu. But the United States, he said, is warning companies they must not do business with individuals and assets under sanctions. The government, he said, will pursue oligarch-owned assets whose sale could be used to aid Ukraine.

“Where we know there is an asset that can potentially provide significant remuneration for Ukraine, that obviously is an attractive case to pursue,” he said.

U.S. officials are likely to use the case they made for impounding a $90 million Airbus business jet linked to Mr. Skoch in August as a blueprint for seizing the Madame Gu, said people familiar with the plan.

That means investigators will aim to show that the owner of the vessel, or the companies that have been providing services to it, have intersected with the U.S. financial system.

“If there are U.S. dollars or a U.S. nexus associated with supporting this vessel, massive enforcement actions could take place,” said Adam M. Smith, a former official overseeing sanctions at the Treasury Department. Companies that provide support to entities under sanctions could potentially face their own sanctions, said Mr. Smith, who is now a lawyer at Gibson Dunn in Washington.

This year the United States has carried out two high-profile seizures of yachts tied to Russians under sanctions, working with cooperative governments. The $300 million Amadea was taken in Fiji in May and sailed to San Diego under an American flag. In April, the United States worked with Spanish police to seize the $90 million Tango.

A Problematic Partner

Diplomatically, the Emirates has been reluctant to take a clear anti-Russian position when it comes to the war in Ukraine. Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, president of the United Arab Emirates, recently met with Mr. Putin in St. Petersburg, and the Emirati foreign minister recently hosted his Russian counterpart. Yet Sheikh Mohammed has also talked with Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, more than once and recently gave the country $100 million in humanitarian aid.

The United States has publicly expressed dismay over the mixed messages.

During a visit to Dubai in June, Wally Adeyemo, the U.S. deputy treasury secretary, warned of the need for vigilance and proactive steps in combating Russian evasion. That same month Barbara Leaf, the State Department’s under secretary for Near East Affairs, said at a congressional hearing that regarding the Emirates, she was “not happy at all with the record at this point” on sanctions enforcement. Mr. Adeyemo reiterated his concerns in a meeting with Emirati officials in October in Washington.

A senior State Department official said in a statement to The New York Times that the agency continues “to reinforce the importance of conducting enhanced due diligence to prevent sanctions evasion and investigating allegations of such activity” to the Emirates.

The Treasury Department declined to comment on the Madame Gu or the relationship with the Emirates.

Last month, the Treasury Department announced it had placed sanctions on an Emirates-based company, Constellation Advisors Ltd., that the American government said was operating on behalf of a nephew of another Russian oligarch, Suleiman Kerimov. Mr. Kerimov, according to American court documents, was the owner of the Amadea superyacht .

American officials are also worried the Russian government is using the Emirates to acquire military supplies for its war in Ukraine. On Nov. 15, the Treasury Department imposed sanctions on two Emirates-based transportation firms that had worked with another Iranian firm under sanctions, which in turn had helped transport drones and personnel from Iran to Russia.

Moored in Dubai

Based on a recent visit to Dubai’s Mina Rashid Marina , where the Madame Gu is moored, it is clear that international companies are playing a critical role in its care.

The Emirates-based company DP World, through its subsidiary P&O Marinas , oversees the pier where the Madame Gu is moored. Employees from another DP World subsidiary , World Security, staff the small guard box at the entrance. That makes DP World, which is owned by Dubai’s royal family, potentially vulnerable to American sanctions.

DP World “fully complies with all applicable local and national laws and intends to continue doing the same regarding the Madame Gu and other vessels utilizing our services,” said Adal Mirza, a spokesman for the company. He added that DP World had not yet heard from the United States or other countries that had placed Mr. Skoch under sanctions, including Britain and the European Union.

A generator set that dock workers said in late October was powering the Madame Gu — two container-like structures near its stern — bore the distinctive orange logo of Aggreko , a British company. The generator set was connected to the superyacht by thick cords; one of the containers was emitting grayish exhaust.

At the Mina Rashid Marina, soon after Aggreko was contacted by The Times, workers removed the generator. “Having identified that the generator was being used to power a vessel that is allegedly connected to a sanctioned person, we immediately terminated this rental and have since recovered the generator,” the company said in a statement.

Mr. Mirza, the DP World spokesman, said the Aggreko generator had been replaced with one from a local supplier.

P&O Marinas arranged for the diesel generator to provide power for the Madame Gu because that part of the pier, a holding area, has no shore-supplied electric power, said a port official in Dubai, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to talk to the press.

“At the end of the day, if the U.A.E. hasn’t imposed sanctions, it’s not really their job to enforce other countries’ laws within their borders,” said Nabeel Yousef, a Washington-based partner at the law firm Freshfields, where he runs the sanctions practice. Nevertheless, “companies should not take comfort in the fact that their country has not imposed sanctions,” he added, “because even the smallest connection to the U.S. can lead to U.S. penalties.”

There has also been a notable absence onboard the Madame Gu in recent weeks: a flag. Unlike other ships moored nearby, including the Quantum Blue, a superyacht linked to the billionaire Sergei Galitsky, the Madame Gu appears to be stateless, apparently having been deflagged by the Cayman Islands.

Cayman Islands officials didn’t respond to an emailed inquiry about the ship’s status.

If DP World were to face fallout from U.S. sanctions enforcers, it wouldn’t be the first time the company has been the focus of attention in Washington. In 2006, DP World was seeking to manage some terminal operations at six American ports but dropped out of the deal after a bipartisan uproar in Congress.

Anton Troianovski contributed reporting from Turin, Italy, and Oleg Matsnev from Berlin.

Kate Kelly covers money, influence, and policy as a correspondent in the Washington bureau of the Times. Before that, she spent twenty years covering Wall Street deals, key players and their intersection with politics. She is the author of three books, including "The Education of Brett Kavanaugh." More about Kate Kelly

Michael Forsythe is a reporter on the investigations team. He was previously a correspondent in Hong Kong, covering the intersection of money and politics in China. He has also worked at Bloomberg News and is a United States Navy veteran. More about Michael Forsythe

Julian E. Barnes is a national security reporter based in Washington, covering the intelligence agencies. Before joining The Times in 2018, he wrote about security matters for The Wall Street Journal. More about Julian E. Barnes

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16 superyachts owned by Russian oligarchs

Western sanctions over moscow's invasion of ukraine led to many luxury vessels being detained in europe.

Two superyachts linked to Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich were spotted on the Turkish coast on Tuesday, 'Eclipse' and 'My Solaris'. Mr Abramovich is among several wealthy Russians added to an EU blacklist as governments act to seize their yachts and other luxury assets. AP

Live updates: follow the latest news on Russia-Ukraine

Several luxury yachts owned by wealthy Russians have been detained across Europe this month.

It comes after the West imposed sanctions on oligarchs over Moscow's invasion of Ukraine .

Some have taken evasive action – two such superyachts linked to billionaire Roman Abramovich were spotted approaching the Turkish coast on Tuesday. A group of Ukrainians tried to stop one of the yachts from docking in Turkey.

Chelsea FC owner Mr Abramovich is one of several oligarchs who were added to an EU blacklist last week as governments acted to seize yachts and other luxury assets owned by the billionaires.

Western sanctions resulted in many large vessels relocating from Europe in the past few weeks. Several have headed to places such as the Maldives, which have no extradition treaty with the US.

Where is the Abramovich-owned yacht heading?

Mr Abramovich's yacht Eclipse was seen heading towards Marmaris on Tuesday, according to data compiled by monitoring site Marine Traffic, which was seen by Reuters.

The previous day, his superyacht Solaris was moored in Bodrum, about 80 kilometres from Marmaris, data showed, after skirting waters of EU countries.

There was no suggestion Mr Abramovich was on board either of the yachts.

Ukrainians attempt to stop Abramovich's yacht docking in Turkey

Which yachts have been detained?

On Monday, a superyacht linked to another Russian billionaire was detained by authorities after docking in Gibraltar.

The Axioma , believed to belong to Dmitrievich Pumpyansky, moored at Gibraltar on the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula, Reuters TV footage showed.

Mr Pumpyansky, who is under UK and EU sanctions, owns Russia's largest steel pipe maker TMK. Data shows the 72-metre vessel is owned by a British Virgin Islands holding company called Pyrene investments, Reuters reported. An article published as part of the Panama Papers leaks names Mr Pumpyansky as a beneficiary of the holding.

On March 12, the world's biggest sailing yacht, called Sailing Yacht A and owned by Russian billionaire Andrey Igorevich Melnichenko , was seized by Italian police.

Several other luxury yachts have also been detained across Europe, including in Gibraltar, Mallorca in Spain's Balearic Islands and the French coast.

Here are 16 superyachts linked to wealthy Russians

1. Eclipse , a superyacht linked to sanctioned Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich , was this week spotted heading in the direction of Marmaris in Turkey.

2. Solaris , belonging to Mr Abramovich , moored in Bodrum at the start of the week.

3. The Axioma superyacht, belonging to Russian oligarch Dmitrievich Pumpyansky , who is on the EU's list of sanctioned Russians, was detained by authorities after docking in Gibraltar on Monday.

4. The Crescent , which was seized by the Spanish government in Tarragona, Spain, on March 17. The ship's owner is not publicly known, although it is believed to belong to Russian Igor Sechin, head of Rosneft Oil in Moscow.

5. Ragnar , owned by former KGB officer and Russian oligarch Vladimir Strzhalkovsky, who is not on the EU sanctions list.

6. Tango , owned by Russian billionaire Viktor Vekselberg, who was sanctioned by the US on March 11.

7. Lady Anastasia , owned by Russian arms manufacturer Alexander Mijeev, is retained at Port Adriano, Mallorca, as a result of sanctions against Russia and Belarus issued by the European Union.

8. Valerie was seized by the Spanish government in Barcelona, Spain, on March 15. Spanish newspaper El Pais reported that the ship is linked to Rostec State Corporation’s chief executive Sergey Chemezov.

9. The $578 million Sailing Yacht A owned by Russian billionaire Andrey Igorevich Melnichenko was seized by Italian police in the port of Trieste on March 12.

10. The 156-metre Dilbar superyacht is owned by Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov.

11. La Datcha belongs to Russian billionaire businessman Oleg Tinkov.

12. Lady M , owned by Russian oligarch Alexei Mordashov, was seized by Italian police on March 5.

13. Amore Vero was seized in the Mediterranean resort of La Ciotat on March 3 by French authorities. The yacht is linked to Igor Sechin, a Putin ally who runs the Russian oil giant Rosneft.

14. Quantum Blue , owned by a company linked to Russian billionaire Sergei Galitsky, the head of Russian oil giant Rosneft, was seized in southern France on March 3.

15. Superyacht Luna is owned by Russian billionaire Farkhad Akhmedov.

16. Triple Seven is owned by Russian billionaire Alexander Abramov, according to media reports. The yacht was last up for sale in 2020 for €38 million ($41.85 million).

Photos show the luxury mega yachts that belong to Russian oligarchs — some of whom have hidden their ships as the UK ramps up sanctions.

• Sanctions targeting Russian oligarchs threaten their luxury assets — including their mega yachts.
• Many countries have implemented sanctions targeting Putin and Russian oligarchs following Russia's attack on Ukraine.
• Insider compiled a photo list of some of the luxury vessels.

Russian billionaires' assets — including their megayachts — are in danger of being seized as countries continue to impose sanctions on Russian oligarchs in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

US President Joe Biden announced that the US will make a substantial effort to seize Russian oligarchs' assets.

"We are joining with our European allies to find and seize your yachts, your luxury apartments, your private jets," Biden said in his State of The Union address on March 1. "We are coming for your ill-begotten gains."

Since the US is not in "armed conflict" with Russia it may be legally tricky to seize assets like yachts, Insider reported . 

"The threshold for seizing assets under sanctions is that the US has to be in armed conflict with the owner of the assets," Brian O'Toole, an economic sanctions expert, tweeted last Friday. "The idea of turning Russian corruption into Ukrainian assistance is lovely but this idea is illegal, period."

It can also be difficult to find out who the owners of these yachts are.

Offshore companies typically own the luxury vessels, but enough "public speculation" pointing to a Russian oligarch as an owner is likely "sufficient for a seizure," Insider reported . 

Many of the oligarchs moved their yachts to places where they can't be seized, such as the Maldives, which does not have an extradition treaty with the US.

Insider has compiled a list of photos with mega yachts linked to Russian oligarchs.

Galactica Super Nova

Amid sanctions and seizures targeting Russian billionaires, Galactica Super Nova — said to be linked to the CEO of Russian oil firm Lukoil — is no longer detectable via ship tracker site MarineTraffic , The Daily Beast reported Thursday. 

The superyacht — whose owner is named Vagit Alekperov — had just been in Montenegro last week, Insider reported .

Alekperov is not currently the target of any sanctions. 

The yacht is almost 230 feet long and can hold up to 12 guests and 16 crew members, according to the ship maker Heesen Yachts .

The ship also has a helicopter pad that can turn into an outdoor movie theatre, also according to the ship maker.

The Amore Vero

France seized Amore Vero, a 281-foot megayacht linked to oligarch and politician Igor Sechin, on March 3.

The yacht, Amore Vero, is estimated to have a value of $120 million . It has a swimming pool that doubles as a helicopter pad and a private deck for its owner, according to Oceana , the ship maker.

Per The Wall Street Journal , officials believe that Amore Vero is "owned by a company whose majority shareholder was Mr. Sechin," though the outlet does not provide the name of the company.

Sechin is the CEO of Rosneft, Russia's oil giant, and a former deputy prime minister. A known Putin ally , he was sanctioned by both the EU and the US before France seized his yacht last week .

Sechin was one of seven oligarchs sanctioned by the UK on Thursday. 

People in Russia have referred to Sechin as "Darth Vader" and "the scariest man on Earth," according to The Guardian .

Alisher Usmanov has been sanctioned by the EU, the US, the UK, and Switzerland. His boat remains in Germany, but the country says it hasn't seized it.

Usmanov's Dilbar is "is the largest motor yacht in the world by gross tonnage," according to Lürssen , the German ship's maker.

It's 512-foot long and weighs 15,917 tons. The ship has been docked in Germany for months undergoing a "refitting," but last week Forbes reported that it was unable to leave the dock.

Germany, however, has denied that it formally seized Dilbar.

Forbes said that "the German federal customs agency is the 'responsible enforcement authority' and would have to issue an export waiver for the yacht to leave, and that 'no yacht leaves port that is not allowed to do so.'" 

Still, multiple outlets reported that Usmanov has fired the crew on the Dilbar.

The Uzbekistan-born oligarch is a supporter of Putin. 

"I am proud that I know Putin, and the fact that everybody does not like him is not Putin's problem," Usmanov told Forbes  in a 2010 interview. 

Suleyman Kerimov was sanctioned by the US, and his son, Said Kerimov, owns ICE. The superyacht is worth is an estimated $170 million.

The Kerimov family owns the majority of Polyus Gold, Russia's biggest gold producer .

ICE was dubbed "Superyacht of the Year" in 2006 at the World Super Yacht Awards, according to Boat International . It is approximately 300 feet and has its own resident helicopter, according to Club Yacht .

Quantum Blue

Sergey Galitsky's ship, Quantum Blue, has an estimated value of $250 million and is last known to be docked in Monaco.

Galitsky is the founder of one of Russia's largest supermarket chains, Magnit.

His name is not currently on the list of sanctioned Russian oligarchs,

Though he also is not the target of any current sanctions, Vladimir Potanin's superyacht, Nirvana, is one of at least four ships docked in the Maldives .

Potanin is the Former First Deputy Prime Minister of Russia and was a longtime trustee for the Guggenheim museum before stepping down on March 2, according to The New York Times . 

Nirvana is not Potanin's only superyacht, he also owns another named Barbara, according to Fortune .

Alexander Abramov's Titan, Alexei Mordashovis' Nord, and Oleg Deripaska's Clio are also located in the Maldives.

At 533 feet long, Roman Abramovich's Eclipse was the largest yacht on the globe until 2013 when the 590-foot Azzam overthrew it. 

Abramovich, once Russia's richest man , is the departing owner of Chelsea FC soccer club. He was sanctioned by the UK on Thursday along with six other oligarchs, Insider reported .

The luxury boat has a host of amenities, including two helicopter pads, a missile detection system, and a swimming pool more than 50 feet long. It also has space for up to 36 guests and 70 crew members, according to Yacht Harbour .

Insider previously reported that it is currently docked in the Caribbean .

Another yacht named Solaris is linked to Abramovich. The vessel, worth approximately $600 million, left Spain Tuesday after having been under repair since late 2021, Insider reported.

Solaris is 460 feet and can host a total of 36 guests, according to SuperYachtFan .

Tango, owned by the US-sanctioned Viktor Vekselberg, is currently located in Palma, Spain.

Tango can host up to 14 people and is 254 feet long, won the 2012 World Superyacht Awards, and has an estimated worth of $120 million, according to SuperYachtFan .

Vekselberg is a Ukrainian-born businessman who owns Renova, a Russian conglomerate, according to The Guardian .

He was one of nearly two dozen Russian oligarchs and officials that the US sanctioned on Friday.

The US Treasury Department claims that he has close ties with Putin, and has announced that assets such as his $90 million jet and his superyacht Tango have been frozen, Insider reported .

Graceful, a yacht reported to belong to Russian President Vladimir Putin, left Germany just before his invasion of Ukraine, Insider reported in early February.

—Manu Gómez (@GDarkconrad) February 9, 2022

Graceful is 270 feet long and has a saloon, gym, spa, library, and an indoor pool nearly 50 feet long that doubles as a dance floor.

Scheherazade

A mystery yacht remains untouched as the owner remains a mystery.

The owner of the 459-foot Scheherazade is suspected to be a Russian billionaire, though the owner was never publically identified, The New York Times reported .

Many people believe it belongs to Vladimir Putin, nicknaming the vessel "Putin's Yacht."

SuperYachtFan estimates the ship's value sits at $700 million.

Stella Maris

Stella Maris is linked to oil and gas tycoon Rashid Sardarov. It was last seen in Nice, France, according to The Washington Post .

The luxury vessel is priced at $75 million, is 237 feet long, and can hold up to 14 guests, per SuperYachtFan .

Sardarov is not being sanctioned. 

Sailing Yacht A

Sailing Yacht A is believed to belong to Andrey Melnichenko. The boat was seized by Spanish officials Saturday, Reuters reported .

The ship is more than 465 feet long and can hold up to 20 guests, according to SuperYachtFan . The website says that Sailing Yacht A also features an underwater observation area and has a value of more than $500 million.

Melnichenko is an EU-sanctioned Russian billionaire who works in coal and fertilizers, according to Forbes . The magazine also reported that he owns a second yacht, Motor Yacht A, which is similar to a submarine. 

Oligarch Gennady Timchenko's superyacht "Lena" was seized in the port of Sanremo, Italy on March 5, Reuters reported.

Timchenko is the owner of a private investment group, Volga Group and a shareholder of Bank Rossiya. The oligarch has been sanctioned by the EU, which describes him as a "long-time acquaintance of the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin."

Timchenko was also sanctioned by the UK on February 22. 

The superyacht is valued at around 50 million euros ($54 million), Reuters reported. It has fold-down terraces, as well as an "owner's suite" which opens out onto the sea with "gull-wing doors," according to its manufacturer, Sanlorenzo.

Italian authorities also seized a $71 million super-yacht belonging to one of the wealthiest men in Russia , Alexei Mordashov. 

The 215-ft "Lady M" superyacht was seized in the Port of Imperia, northern Italy, a source confirmed to Reuters.

The yacht can accommodate up to six guests on and also has accommodation for four crew members, per the Superyacht Times .

The oligarch, who is the chairman of steel mining company, Severstal, has also been sanctioned by the EU, which says Mordashov is "benefiting from his links with Russian decision-makers." Mordashov has insisted he has "absolutely nothing to do" with Russia's attack on Ukraine. 

The Oligarch moved $1.3 billion worth of shares in travel company, TUI, to an offshore tax haven on the day he was hit by sanctions, Insider's Huileng Tan previously reported. 

He was also added to the UK government's sanctions list on March 15.

Some superyachts belonging to Russian billionaires are currently seeking refuge in the Maldives, including a yacht owned by billionaire Oleg Deripaska, Reuters reported.

The billionaire, who is also the founder of one of Russia's largest industrial groups, Basic Element, was added to the UK's sanctions list on March 10.

Also built by Lürssen, the superyacht - which is around 238 feet long - can accommodate 18 guests in nine cabins, per Superyacht Fan.

The superyacht Valerie - worth $140 million - was seized in Barcelona on Monday, Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, said on La Sexta television, per Reuters.  

Sanchez did not confirm the owner of the yacht, but two sources confirmed to Reuters that it belonged to Sergei Chemezov, who is said to be a close ally of Putin.

The oligarch, who was previously a KGB spy with Putin in the former Soviet Union, recently said that Russia would emerge victorious from Western sanctions, Reuters previously reported . 

Chemezov, who is the CEO of Russian defense conglomerate Rostec was added to the US sanctions list on March 3. 

His yacht is 279 feet long and can accommodate 17 guests in eight suites, per Superyacht Fan.

Crescent, most likely owned by Igor Sechin but also rumored to belong to Putin, was the third yacht Spain seized as the West ramps up sanctions, The Washington Post reported Thursday.

The superyacht is 443-feet long and costs an estimated $600 million, according to  SuperyachtFan, which also says the vessel hosts a retractable helicopter hangar and a large pool with a glass bottom.

Lady Anastasia

Lady Anastasia is owned by Russian oligarch Alexander Mikheyev but was seized by Spain on Tuesday, according to Reuters . 

The boat is almost 160 feet long and can hold up to 10 guests, according to Yacht Harbour .

Mikheyev, who was sanctioned by the EU, is the head of a helicopters division under Rostec, New York Mag reported .

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World's largest yacht, linked to Russian billionaire Usmanov, is seized by Germany

• German authorities said they have seized the world's largest superyacht following official confirmation that the vessel had links to Russian billionaire and business tycoon Alisher Usmanov.
• The superyacht, named Dilbar after Usmanov's mother, was initially restricted by German authorities from leaving its anchorage in Hamburg on March 3.
• The yacht extends over 500 feet and is equipped with two helipads and the largest indoor swimming pool ever installed on a private vessel.

WASHINGTON — German authorities said they have seized the world's largest superyacht following official confirmation that the vessel had links to Russian billionaire and business tycoon Alisher Usmanov.

A German official confirmed to CNBC on Thursday that the motor yacht was linked to Usmanov and therefore subject to asset seizure. Germany's federal police informed European authorities in Brussels on Wednesday that a thorough investigation found the vessel was owned by Usmanov's sister, Gulbakhor Ismailova.

The stunning superyacht was initially restricted from leaving its anchorage by German authorities on March 3 , according to a senior Biden administration official with knowledge of the matter.

The official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the yacht had not been physically seized at the time but rather was not allowed to move from its current location in the German port city of Hamburg. The person had added that more measures would be taken later.

The yacht, named Dilbar after Usmanov's mother, extends over 500 feet and is equipped with two helipads and the largest indoor swimming pool ever installed on a private vessel. The Department of Treasury estimates that the current value of Usmanov's yacht is approximately $735 million.

Usmanov and his superyacht entered the crosshairs of the U.S. and its allies in March following coordinated global sanctions on Russian elites  with Kremlin ties after Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24.

A Treasury official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said any action taken by German authorities would not involve transferring the vessel to the United States under Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control, or OFAC, sanctions.

The U.S. sanctions listed Usmanov's yacht as blocked property, which effectively means that any transactions related to the yacht — including maintenance, the hiring of crew and payment of docking fees — conducted with U.S. persons or in U.S. dollars are prohibited.

The yacht is the latest vessel to be seized since Russia invaded Ukraine. A $90 million mega-yacht owned by billionaire Viktor Vekselberg was seized in Spain on April 4 with help from U.S. authorities. Vekselberg was born in Ukraine but founded the massive Russia-based conglomerate Renova Group.

On March 2, French authorities  seized a massive yacht they say is linked to Igor Sechin , a Russian billionaire who is CEO of state oil company Rosneft. He previously served as Russia's deputy prime minister within President Vladimir Putin's government.

The Lady M, known to be the property of Russian billionaire Alexei Mordashov, was previously seized in Italy.

— CNBC's Brian Schwartz contributed reporting from New York.

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France seizes $120m superyacht tied to russian oligarch igor sechin.

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French authorities seized a $120 million superyacht owned by Russian oil magnate Igor Sechin on Wednesday – the latest sign of an escalating crackdown on Russia’s oligarchs in response to the Kremlin’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.

French customs officials took control of the luxury vessel as it attempted to leave the port of La Ciotat in southern France – in violation of European Union sanctions targeting Sechin and other Russian oligarchs.

“Thanks to the French customs officers who are enforcing the European Union’s sanctions against those close to the Russian government,” France’s Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire tweeted Thursday alongside a letter detailing the yacht seizure.

The superyacht arrived at the port in early January for repairs and was not scheduled to depart until April 1 as it underwent repairs. According to the letter, the 280-foot vessel was “taking steps to sail off urgently, without the repair works being over” – prompting customs officials to take control.

The massive boat – called “Amore Vero” – is technically owned by a company in which Sechin is the majority shareholder, according to France’s finance ministry. The yacht was built by Oceanco and completed in 2013.

The Amore Vero is one of the largest ships of its kind in the world and won “best yacht design over 50 meters” at the World Yacht Trophies, according to Oceanco . The yacht has a swimming pool on its main deck that converts to a helicopter platform, as well as a sundeck with a jacuzzi and various other ritzy features.

A close ally of Putin, Sechin is the former deputy prime minister of Russia and current CEO of Russian oil giant Rosneft. The European Union described Sechin as one of Putin’s “most trusted and closest advisors, as well as his personal friend.”

Un yacht appartenant à un oligarque russe a été saisi. Merci aux douaniers français qui font respecter les sanctions de l'Union européenne à l'encontre des proches du pouvoir russe. pic.twitter.com/AZVzmlet2P — Bruno Le Maire (@BrunoLeMaire) March 3, 2022

As Page Six reported, a growing number of superyachts owned by Russian billionaires have fled to the Maldives and Seychelles as authorities in the US and abroad crack down on the wealth of oligarchs. The international community is attempting to ratchet up pressure on Putin’s allies as part of its effort to end Russia’s offensive in Ukraine.

Yachts are just one target of the crackdown. On Wednesday, Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich said he would sell Premier League club Chelsea as he faces mounting international pressure.

President Biden signaled his administration would aggressively pursue assets held by Russian oligarchs during his State of the Union address.

“We are coming for your ill-begotten gains,” Biden said.

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Cruising the Moskva River: A short guide to boat trips in Russia’s capital

There’s hardly a better way to absorb Moscow’s atmosphere than on a ship sailing up and down the Moskva River. While complicated ticketing, loud music and chilling winds might dampen the anticipated fun, this checklist will help you to enjoy the scenic views and not fall into common tourist traps.

How to find the right boat?

There are plenty of boats and selecting the right one might be challenging. The size of the boat should be your main criteria.

Plenty of small boats cruise the Moskva River, and the most vivid one is this yellow Lay’s-branded boat. Everyone who has ever visited Moscow probably has seen it.

This option might leave a passenger disembarking partially deaf as the merciless Russian pop music blasts onboard. A free spirit, however, will find partying on such a vessel to be an unforgettable and authentic experience that’s almost a metaphor for life in modern Russia: too loud, and sometimes too welcoming. Tickets start at $13 (800 rubles) per person.

Bigger boats offer smoother sailing and tend to attract foreign visitors because of their distinct Soviet aura. Indeed, many of the older vessels must have seen better days. They are still afloat, however, and getting aboard is a unique ‘cultural’ experience. Sometimes the crew might offer lunch or dinner to passengers, but this option must be purchased with the ticket. Here is one such  option  offering dinner for $24 (1,490 rubles).

If you want to travel in style, consider Flotilla Radisson. These large, modern vessels are quite posh, with a cozy restaurant and an attentive crew at your service. Even though the selection of wines and food is modest, these vessels are still much better than other boats.

Surprisingly, the luxurious boats are priced rather modestly, and a single ticket goes for $17-$32 (1,100-2,000 rubles); also expect a reasonable restaurant bill on top.

How to buy tickets?

Women holding photos of ships promise huge discounts to “the young and beautiful,” and give personal invitations for river tours. They sound and look nice, but there’s a small catch: their ticket prices are usually more than those purchased online.

“We bought tickets from street hawkers for 900 rubles each, only to later discover that the other passengers bought their tickets twice as cheap!”  wrote  (in Russian) a disappointed Rostislav on a travel company website.

Nevertheless, buying from street hawkers has one considerable advantage: they personally escort you to the vessel so that you don’t waste time looking for the boat on your own.

Prices start at $13 (800 rubles) for one ride, and for an additional $6.5 (400 rubles) you can purchase an unlimited number of tours on the same boat on any given day.

Flotilla Radisson has official ticket offices at Gorky Park and Hotel Ukraine, but they’re often sold out.

Buying online is an option that might save some cash. Websites such as  this   offer considerable discounts for tickets sold online. On a busy Friday night an online purchase might be the only chance to get a ticket on a Flotilla Radisson boat.

This  website  (in Russian) offers multiple options for short river cruises in and around the city center, including offbeat options such as ‘disco cruises’ and ‘children cruises.’ This other  website  sells tickets online, but doesn’t have an English version. The interface is intuitive, however.

Buying tickets online has its bad points, however. The most common is confusing which pier you should go to and missing your river tour.

“I once bought tickets online to save with the discount that the website offered,” said Igor Shvarkin from Moscow. “The pier was initially marked as ‘Park Kultury,’ but when I arrived it wasn’t easy to find my boat because there were too many there. My guests had to walk a considerable distance before I finally found the vessel that accepted my tickets purchased online,” said the man.

There are two main boarding piers in the city center:  Hotel Ukraine  and  Park Kultury . Always take note of your particular berth when buying tickets online.

Where to sit onboard?

Even on a warm day, the headwind might be chilly for passengers on deck. Make sure you have warm clothes, or that the crew has blankets ready upon request.

The glass-encased hold makes the tour much more comfortable, but not at the expense of having an enjoyable experience.

Getting off the boat requires preparation as well. Ideally, you should be able to disembark on any pier along the way. In reality, passengers never know where the boat’s captain will make the next stop. Street hawkers often tell passengers in advance where they’ll be able to disembark. If you buy tickets online then you’ll have to research it yourself.

There’s a chance that the captain won’t make any stops at all and will take you back to where the tour began, which is the case with Flotilla Radisson. The safest option is to automatically expect that you’ll return to the pier where you started.

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• Guided tour

River Cruise on Luxurious Radisson Boat

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Equipped with ice-breaking technology, these huge fancy yachts are the only river cruisers running all year around. The round trip journey takes two and a half hours and floats past all the big sights like the White House, Novodevichy monastery and the Kremlin. There’s a large open air observation deck up top, while the main body of the ship houses a restaurant with a dance floor for a romantic post dinner dance. For a particularly romantic experience take one of the evening boats and admire the bright lights of the city skyline at night.

The most relaxing and picturesque tour that Moscow can offer: a great way to see the city center and its main attractions. This is a perfect alternative to exploring the city by car, if you only have time to do sightseeing during weekday rush hours.

Your English-speaking guide is eager to share every bit of their knowledge about the surrounding landscape, the architecture and historical details.

We conduct Moscow river tour on Radisson Flotilla boats all year around!  It’s warm inside during winter months, while there’s air conditioning during hot summer days. You may also treat yourself to drinks, lunch or dinner on board (drinks and food are not included in tour price).

The cost of an excursion with a personal guide for 1 person

Quay at Radisson Collection Hotel

Government Headquarters ("the White House")

Kievsky Railway Central

Novodevichy Convent

Luzhniki Stadium

Academy of Sciences

Monument to Peter I

Cathedral of Christ the Saviour

Moscow Kremlin

St.Basil's Cathedral

Novospassky Monastery

U-turn and back to Quay at Radisson Royal Hotel

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• Excursion River Cruise on Luxurious Radisson Boat
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