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Superyachts Lady M and Lena seized in Italy under EU sanctions against Russia

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The Italian government has seized two superyachts – the 64 metre superyacht Lady M and 40.8 metre Lena – under European Union economic sanctions against Russia. 

The news was confirmed by Ferdinando Giugliano, media advisor to Italy's prime minister Mario Draghi, who linked the yachts to Alexey Mordashov ( Lady M ) and Gennady Timchenko (Lena) after they were named on the European Union's list of sanctioned individuals released on February 28.

The Guardia di Finanza was spotted boarding both vessels moored in their respective ports on Italy's Ligurian coastline last week. According to the ports the yachts are now guarded round the clock by the local law enforcement. 

Lady M , the larger of the two, was built as the flagship of American shipyard Palmer Johnson in 2013 and was lying in the Port of Imperia when the sanctions were announced by the European Union. The Italian government believe the boat to be owned by Mordashov, who is the primary shareholder and chairman of Russia's largest steel and mining company Severstal. In a document released by EU officials, he was accused of "benefiting from links with Russian decision-makers". Port officials were not prepared to comment.

In a statement reported by Forbes and the Russian media, Mordashov denied his involvement in Russian politics and called for an end to the war in Ukraine.

The Italian government named Timchenko as the owner of Lena, a 40.8 metre Italian vessel built by shipyard Sanlorenzo and delivered in 2010. She was seized on Friday (March 5) while moored in Portosole Sanremo. Timchenko is the founder of one of the largest investment groups in Russia and shareholder of Bank Rossiya. He appears on EU, UK and US sanction lists and is also accused of benefitting from links with Russian decision-makers. "It’s a new and different situation for everybody," said a spokesperson at Portosole Sanremo. "We hope the best and that everything will end soon."

Lady M and Lena are understood to be the second and third boats to be confiscated in Europe after the 86 metre Amore Vero was seized by officials in France in La Ciotat on March 2. Meanwhile, German authorities have denied reports that the 156 metre Lürssen motor yacht Dilbar has been seized in Hamburg.

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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.

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Italy Seizes Motor Yachts Lady M and Lena under EU Sanctions

Italy has seized motor yachts Lady M and Lena in compliance with the recent EU sanctions against Russia. The seizures were confirmed by Ferdinando Giugliano, media advisor to Italy’s prime minister Mario Draghi, on March 4 and 5 respectively.

The Italian Ministry of Finance identified 64-meter Lady M ’s owner as Alexey Alexandrovits Mordaschov and BOAT International reports she had been in Imperia since January. The Italian government says the 40.8-meter Lena belongs to Gennady Nikolayevich Timchenko, and she has been in Sanremo for five months. Both Russians are among the list of individuals sanctioned by the EU regulation 2022/226 on February 28.

Mordashov is the majority shareholder of Severstal, the largest steel company in Russia. Timchenko has stakes in various Russian businesses, including gas company Novatek and petrochemical producer Sibur Holding, and controls private investment group Volga Group.

The Italian government also seized a €3 million property linked to Oleg Savchenko located in the province of Lucca, Tuscany. These are the second and third reported yacht seizures following M/Y Amore Vero in France on March 2 .

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West hits Russian oligarchs where it hurts — their mega-yachts

By Megan Cerullo

March 7, 2022 / 1:55 PM EST / MoneyWatch

The U.S. and European Union are cracking down on sanctions against Russian billionaires by taking control of their mega yachts and other valuable assets, including villas and private jets, parked in territory over which their governments have jurisdiction. 

Italy on Friday said it seized a $70 million yacht moored in Liguria, Italy, belonging to Alexey Alexandrovits Mordaschov, a steel magnate with close ties to the Kremlin. 

"Italy's police has just seized 'Lady M Yacht' - a €65 million yacht belonging to Alexey Alexandrovits Mordaschov located in Imperia (Liguria) - in compliance with the recent EU sanctions," Ferdinando Giugliano, a media adviser to Italy's prime minister, said in a tweet.

Italy’s police has just seized “Lady M Yacht” - a €65m yacht belonging to Alexey Alexandrovits Mordaschov located in Imperia (Liguria) - in compliance with the recent EU sanctions. pic.twitter.com/8NzqkXH7lE — Ferdinando Giugliano (@FerdiGiugliano) March 4, 2022

On Saturday, Italy's tax police also froze "Lena," a $54 million yacht belonging to Gennady Nikolayevich Timchenko, the founder of a Moscow, Russia-based private investment group and close friend of Russian President Vladimir Putin, whom the EU has sanctioned.

Assets that cannot be moved are even easier to take possession of, or prevent their owners from accessing. 

Italy also froze a $3.2 million property in Tuscany belonging to Oleg Savchenko, who is among the richest Russian business people. Giugliano tweeted an image of a Ministry of Economy and Finance vehicle in front of the estate, named "Villa Lazzareschi." 

Italy’s tax police also froze “Lena” - a €50m yacht belonging to Gennady Nikolayevich Timchenko located in Sanremo (Liguria) - and “Villa Lazzareschi” - a €3m property belonging to Oleg Savchenko located in the province of Lucca (Tuscany). pic.twitter.com/yc1Q2y4d0G — Ferdinando Giugliano (@FerdiGiugliano) March 5, 2022

President Biden has also said the U.S. government is homing in on Russian oligarchs' super-yachts, private planes and other conspicuous symbols of their wealth as Russian President Vladimir Putin escalates his country's attack on Ukraine.  

A new federal task force, dubbed "KleptoCapture," will take aim at what Mr. Biden described in his State of the Union address on Tuesday as "the crimes of Russian oligarchs."  

"We are joining with our European allies to find and seize your yachts, your luxury apartments, your private jets," Mr. Biden said. "We are coming for your ill-begotten gains."

More than a dozen Russian billionaires are under sanction by the U.S., European Union and the United Kingdom, and some are trying to dodge restrictions by moving assets that are mobile — including mega-yachts — into territories where sanctions don't apply and where their property cannot be seized or their assets frozen. 

The super-yacht "Graceful," believed to be owned by Vladimir Putin himself, left Germany two weeks before Russia invaded Ukraine and recently docked in Kaliningrad, near Russia's nuclear weapons operations, data form MarineTraffic, a maritime tracking website, shows. 

Putin ally Roman Abramovich, who made his fortune in the energy business, is not currently on any government sanction lists, but is making moves to unload valuable assets, including Chelsea Football Club. Among those assets is a super-yacht named "Eclipse" that is the third largest pleasure vessel in the world, measuring more than 540 feet long and 72 feet wide, according to Marine Vessel Traffic, a website that tracks the location of ships and other vessels, including privately owned yachts. It recently set sail from St. Barts to Philipsburg, the capital of Sint Maarten — the Dutch side of the Caribbean island Saint Martin.

"Le Grand Bleu," owned by Russian oil titan Eugene Shvidler, is also anchored off the island of St. Martin, where EU sanctions can be enforced. 

Too big to hide

Some oligarchs on sanction lists, who are alleged to have built their wealth in Russia through political corruption, have already been cut off from their own valuable assets. 

The EU's sanctions on Russian oligarchs on Wednesday led to Germany's freezing of a yacht owned by Alisher Usmanov, one of the wealthiest Russians, according to a Forbes report . According to Marine Traffic, the 512-foot yacht, named "Dilbar," had been stationed in Hamburg, Germany, since October 29 for repairs. 

The French Ministry of Economy and Finance on Thursday said its customs agents seized the "Amore Vero" yacht belonging to a company owned by Igor Setchine, director of Russian oil company Rosneft. The yacht had been stationed for repairs in La Ciotat in Southern France's Cote d'Azur region. 

While the crew's intention was to "sail urgently, without having completed the planned work," it was seized before it could depart, the agency said. 

Fleeing hotspots

In hopes of avoiding the same fate, some yacht owners are "hightailing it on the high seas," financier and anti-corruption activist Bill Browder told CBS News senior investigative correspondent Catherine Herridge. 

They are mooring their mega-yachts, some with 100-member-crews, in places like Dubai and the Maldives — a nation of tiny islands in the Indian Ocean, which does not have an extradition treaty with the U.S. "They're parking their assets where they cannot be seized," Browder told CBS MoneyWatch. 

The problem is that ships of this size can't stay indefinitely in a place like the Maldives, which can generate significant income through docking fees, given their need to refuel and stock provisions. 

"There are a number of these yachts in the Maldives, and unless those countries put sanctions in place they're probably safer there," Alasdair Milroy, a maritime accountant and owner of Breaking the Mould Accounting, told CBS MoneyWatch. "But you can only spend so long in someplace like the Maldives on a yacht of that size without needing provisions, or to refuel, so I don't know how well that will last for a longer period. I don't think they'll be able to do that for that long."

Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco, who is in charge of the new U.S. task force targeting Russian oligarchs, issued a stark warning: "We will use every tool to freeze and seize your criminal proceeds," she said in a statement.

Confiscating Russian oligarchs' wealth could be an effective tactic, Browder told CBS MoneyWatch. "It's hugely symbolic, and part of this thing is psychological war. This really has an impact — if not financially, then psychologically."

At least 10 of the 100 largest super-yachts in the world belong to Russian oligarchs, according to Marine Vessel Traffic .

Websites tracking maritime activity show that other oligarchs' yachts are on the move as their owners attempt to shield their assets from seizure. The "Galactica Super Nova," a 230-foot long, $80 million vessel owned by Vagit Alekperov, president of Russian oil company Lukoil, recently left its mooring in Barcelona, Spain, where EU sanctions apply, and set sail for Tivat, Montenegro, in the Balkans, according to VesselFinder.com.  

"Clio," a super-yacht owned by Russian industrialist Oleg Deripaska, is currently anchored off of the Maldives, according to MarineTraffic.com . A handful of other oligarch-owned mega-yachts are also moored in the Maldives, including Alexander Abramov's "Titan," Viktor Rashnikov's "Ocean Victory" and Vladimir Potanin's "Nirvana." 

How sanctions work

Placing an individual or their assets under official sanction does not give another government the legal authority to seize their assets — only to freeze or cut off their owner's access. 

"Generally speaking, sanctions are the authority that allow us to freeze assets. They are most easily understood in context of a bank account — it's literally put into a frozen account that still exists and collects interest and you own it, but you can't get any money from it," said Adam M. Smith, a partner at law firm Gibson Dunn. 

Tangible property must also be under the jurisdiction of the U.S. for any sanctions to work, or for the government to cut off their owner's ability to use an asset like a private yacht or jet. 

Daniel P. Ahn, a sanctions and economic warfare expert at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and former chief economist for the U.S. State Department, said that targeting an individual's yacht can limit its use even it isn't seized.

"If it arrives in the West, any port that can refuel is not allowed to do that anymore. So maybe the yacht itself doesn't get seized, but it's a lot less useful thing to have," he said. 

For this reason, sanctioned individuals may choose to try to sell assets like yachts at a loss, rather than risk losing use of them indefinitely. 

"If I was an oligarch, the first thing I would do is I would protest and say I shouldn't be blacklisted. Second would be to see if I can liquidate these assets and claw back something, knowing that otherwise it may rot at the pier without proper maintenance and the like," Ahn said.

As far as their impact goes, the sanctions are more than merely symbolic, he added. "The ultimate objective is to make life very difficult for these oligarchs, and it has been achieved," Ahn said. 

Megan Cerullo is a New York-based reporter for CBS MoneyWatch covering small business, workplace, health care, consumer spending and personal finance topics. She regularly appears on CBS News 24/7 to discuss her reporting.

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How an ex-CIA agent is tracking the luxurious superyachts of Russian oligarchs

'yacht watching' emerges as a new trend as western countries crack down on russian oligarchs.

Social Sharing

Yacht watching has emerged as the newest global sport, as Russia's mega-rich oligarchs rush to move their massive, luxury boats out of Western waters.

Following sanctions from the European Union and the United States, governments and residents are sharing their sightings of the superyachts as they attempt to cruise away.

U.S. President Joe Biden announced in his State of the Union speech last week that his country will find and seize the yachts, luxury apartments and private jets of sanctioned Russians.

"We are coming for your ill-begotten gains," he said.

Alex Finley is a former CIA officer living in Barcelona, Spain, near a busy harbour at Port Vull. She started the hashtag #YachtWatch after spotting some significant yachts in her neighbourhood, such as Russian business magnate  Alisher Usmanov's Dilbar , valued at $600 million US ($765 Cdn).

"These are really big, glimmering, sleek, technologically-advanced machines," Finley told As It Happens guest host Gillian Findlay. 

She described how the enormous boats "have all the toys" and look more like buildings and private cruise ships from afar.

Here is part of that conversation.

You've been tracking [the Russian superyachts] and I understand there's a community that's now tracking them. How does this work?

I happened to have an encounter with Solaris one day. 

She had been in the shipyard here in Barcelona and I went down to the port really just to take an afternoon off on a beautiful, sunny day…. I tweeted about it and next thing I know, there was a whole bunch of people interested in oligarch yachts and wanting to know what yachts were where. 

Yacht watching here in Barcelona is fantastic because a lot of yachts from all over the world come in. I think just as people started watching the sanctions and started realizing that the yachts were going to be part of this, people wanted to participate. 

You mentioned Solaris. Who does that belong to?

That one belongs to reportedly Roman Abramovich, who is not currently under sanctions. He is the one who also is the owner of the football club Chelsea in the U.K. and who is trying to sell it very quickly, it looks like.

[Editor's Note: After this interview was recorded, Abramovich  was hit with sanctions including asset freezes and travel bans . As for Chelsea FC, the team cannot sell any more tickets or merchandise — and it cannot buy or sell players on the transfer market.]

And what have you been able to track in terms of Solaris? Where is it now?

The last that I checked a couple of hours ago, she was just south of Sardinia.

A lot of these yachts that we've been looking at are heading towards the Maldives or the Seychelles. A few are in Montenegro, but they look like they're probably going to be on the move.

Ok, SOLARIS is pinging again, as many of you have pointed out. She is just south of Sardinia. 8/ <a href="https://t.co/OtfRAqFuSW">pic.twitter.com/OtfRAqFuSW</a> &mdash; @alexzfinley

Why are they heading there?

Neither the Maldives nor the Seychelles are part of the EU or U.S. sanctions that are on these oligarchs.... Maybe that's just a holding place for them.

One of the things I've been trying to figure out is: where do they go [next]? These are very advanced technological machines…. They require infrastructure and crews and people who would know how to take care of them. And my understanding at this point is that the only places in the world that offer that level of knowledge, that level of service and infrastructure, they're all in Europe or the United States. 

How many of these oligarch-owned yachts have been seized so far?

Only four. 

Dilbar was in Hamburg, and there's actually some questions now about whether it was seized or what the status is.

People are starting not to use the word "seized" because the idea isn't that the government takes it and then owns it or can sell it or repossess it in some way. It's just that the beneficial owners cannot access it. Nobody can do service on it, the crews can't access it. It's like a frozen bank account in that sense.

French authorities in La Ciotat have done the same with Amore Vero and then the Italians have taken two … Lady M and Lena .

With all the talk of sanctions and all the talk of wanting to put pressure on the oligarchs, four doesn't seem a very big number. What's the impediment here?

Not all of these oligarchs are under sanction, so that's part of it. 

I think one of the hardest parts for the governments is going to be proving beneficial ownership…. These oligarchs themselves go out of their way to make sure it's very unclear who the owner is. These are very opaque ownership structures that use offshore companies and all kinds of shell companies to layer back and sort of hide who the beneficial owner is. 

Some have been [confirmed] with the Pandora Papers, with the Panama Papers … but in a lot of the cases, that has not happened. Any government officials who might want to try to arrest or stop these yachts need to really be able to make sure they can confirm who the beneficial owners are, and that takes time.

Beyond the obvious — I guess, the pleasure and the status of owning such a yacht — what is it that the oligarchs are doing? Why do they have these yachts?

For me, these mega-yachts are a symbol of the hypocrisy of a number of these oligarchs. They have supported and propped up a dictator — and in some cases aided him in his efforts to destabilize Western democracies.

At the same time, they take their money out of Russia and they spend it here in the West and enjoy all of the benefits and take advantage of all of the wonderful things that Western democratic societies can offer — namely rule of law, meaning you can invest in something, own a villa, own a yacht, and it's not going to just get stolen from you. 

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If the idea is [that] by going after the oligarchs, that pressure is, in fact, put on Putin and somehow changes his behaviour, why would seizing a yacht actually make a difference?

Russia's a great place to make money, but these guys like to spend it in the West and they put their families in the West. Their children go to schools in the West. 

They take advantage of all of the benefits of democracy, and [so] they're not going to be happy to have that taken away. 

They have been willing to support Putin because they were benefiting from it. And I think as those benefits start to disappear, they will grow more and more unhappy and it will eventually be an untenable situation.

Written by Mehek Mazhar. Interview with Alex Finley produced by Ashley Fraser and Sarah Jackson. Q&A edited for length and clarity.

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Seized yacht in Italy was built in Sturgeon Bay

Posted About Two Years Ago by Paul Schmitt

A superyacht built by Palmer Johnson in Sturgeon Bay was seized in Italy last week by Italian authorities.  With countries around the world taking actions to sanction Russian oligarchs, the “Lady M” yacht owned by Alexey Mordasov was being held in Imperia, Italy.  Mordasov is reportedly Russia’s richest man and has a net worth of nearly $30 billion, according to CNBC.  He was recently sanctioned by the European Union.

The 213-foot “Lady M” yacht was built in 2013 for $27 million and is valued at over $55 million.  It was the largest vessel ever built by Palmer Johnson and was the largest aluminum yacht ever built in the U.S., according to  moranyachts.com .  

(2013 photo of Lady M courtesy of Yachtharbor.com) 

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U.S. seizes large yacht in Spain owned by oligarch with close ties to Putin

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The U.S. government Monday seized a mega-yacht in Spain owned by an oligarch with close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin — the first vessel to be taken under Washington’s sanctions effort to “seize and freeze” giant boats and other pricey assets belonging to Russian elites .

Spain’s Civil Guard and U.S. federal agents descended on the yacht at the Marina Real in the port of Palma de Mallorca, the capital of Spain’s Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea. Associated Press reporters at the scene saw police going in and out of the boat Monday morning.

The joint operation to seize the yacht, by Spain’s Civil Guard, the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations, was carried out at the request of U.S. authorities, the Civil Guard said.

A Civil Guard source told the Associated Press that the seized yacht is the Tango, a 254-foot vessel that carries a Cook Islands flag and that Superyachtfan.com, a website that tracks the world’s largest and most exclusive recreational boats, values at $120 million. The source was not authorized to be named in media reports and spoke to AP on condition of anonymity.

The yacht is among the assets linked to Viktor Vekselberg, a billionaire and close Putin ally who heads the Moscow-based Renova Group, a conglomerate encompassing metals, mining, tech and other assets, according to U.S. Treasury Department documents. All of Vekselberg’s assets in the U.S. are frozen, and U.S. companies are forbidden from doing business with him and his entities.

While Vekselberg has not been sanctioned by the European Union , he is under investigation in the U.S. for possible tax fraud, money laundering and falsifying documents precisely to hide the ownership of the yacht, the Civil Guard said in a statement.

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The move is the first time the U.S. government has seized an oligarch’s yacht since Atty. Gen. Merrick Garland and Treasury Secretary Janet L. Yellen assembled a task force known as REPO — short for Russian Elites, Proxies and Oligarchs — to enforce sanctions after Russia invaded Ukraine in late February.

Vekselberg has long had ties to the U.S., including a green card he once held and homes in New York and Connecticut. The Ukrainian-born businessman built his fortune by investing in the aluminum and oil industries in the post-Soviet era.

Vekselberg was also questioned during special counsel Robert S. Mueller III’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election and has worked closely with his American cousin, Andrew Intrater, who heads the New York investment management firm Columbus Nova.

Vekselberg and Intrater were thrust into the spotlight in the Mueller probe after the attorney for adult film star Stormy Daniels released a memo claiming that $500,000 in hush money was routed through Columbus Nova to a shell company set up by former President Trump’s personal attorney, Michael Cohen. Columbus Nova denied that Vekselberg played any role in its payments to Cohen.

Palaces, super-yachts, Swiss accounts. How rich is Putin and can sanctions hurt him?

The Russian president is believed to be very wealthy, but his assets are in the name of relatives, associates and friendly oligarchs.

Vekselberg and Intrater met with Cohen at Trump Tower, one of several meetings between members of Trump’s inner circle and high-level Russians during the 2016 campaign and transition.

The 64-year-old Vekselberg founded Renova Group more than three decades ago. The group holds the largest stake in United Co. Rusal, Russia’s biggest aluminum producer, among other investments.

Vekselberg was first sanctioned by the U.S. in 2018 and again last month, shortly after the invasion of Ukraine began. Vekselberg has also been sanctioned by Britain.

The yacht sails under a Cook Islands flag and is owned by a company that is registered in the British Virgin Islands and administered by different societies in Panama , the Civil Guard said, “following a complicated financial and societal web to conceal its truthful ownership.”

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Agents confiscated documents and computers inside the yacht that will be analyzed to confirm the real identity of the owner, the Civil Guard said.

The White House has said that many allied countries, including German, Britain, France, Italy and others are involved in trying to collect and share information about Russians targeted for sanctions. In his State of the Union address , President Biden warned oligarchs that the U.S. and its European allies would “find and seize your yachts, your luxury apartments, your private jets.”

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

Monday’s capture is not the first time Spanish authorities have been involved in the seizure of a Russian oligarch’s yacht. Officials previously said that they had seized a vessel valued at more than $140 million and owned by a close Putin ally who runs a state defense conglomerate.

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French authorities have also seized super-yachts, including one believed to belong to Igor Sechin, a Putin ally who runs Russian oil giant Rosneft , which has been on the U.S. sanctions list since Russia annexed Crimea in 2014.

Italy has also seized several yachts and other assets.

Italian financial police moved quickly to seize the super-yacht Lena, which belongs to Gennady Timchenko, an oligarch close to Putin, in the port of San Remo; the 215-foot Lady M, owned by Alexei Mordashov in nearby Imperia, featuring six suites and estimated to be worth $71.5 million; as well as villas in Tuscany and Como, according to government officials.

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SY A: Italy seizes one of the world’s largest superyachts owned by Russian businessman

The vessel, called “sy a”, is in storage at the northeastern port of trieste, article bookmarked.

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A £530 million mega yacht owned by Russian oligarch Andrey Melnichenko was seized on Friday by Italian authorities.

The vessel, called “SY A”, was in storage at the northeastern port of Trieste , a statement from Italy ’s financial police said.

Mr Melnichenko was one of a number of Russian elites recently sanctioned by the EU over close supposed links to the Kremlin, in response to Vladimir Putin’s decision to invade Ukraine .

In announcing its decision the EU said Mr Melnichenko - who owns fertilizer producer EuroChem Group and coal company SUEK - was among a group of 36 businesspeople who met with Mr Putin and other officials on February 24 to discuss the impact of economic sanctions by the EU and EU.

The EU Council decision said: “The fact that he was invited to attend this meeting shows that he is a member of the closest circle of Vladimir Putin and that he is supporting or implementing actions or policies which undermine or threaten the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine, as well as stability and security in Ukraine.

“It also shows that he is one of the leading businesspersons involved in economic sectors providing a substantial source of revenue to the government of Russia, which is responsible for annexation of Crimea and ​destabilization of Ukraine.”

The businessman is worth approximately £8.4billion ($11 billion) - making him the eight richest man in Russia, according to Forbes.

The 143m (469ft) long superyacht was constructed by German shipbuilder Nobiskrug and features a host of amenities, including an underwater observation pod and hybrid diesel-electric propulsion.

European countries have responded rapidly to seize assets from Russian oligarchs and have already taken a number of the sailing vessels.

Italian authorities have taken Lena belonging to Gennady Timchenko, in the port of San Remo and the Lady M owned by Alexei Mordashov in nearby Imperia.

And French customs officials seized the yacht of Rosneft boss Igor Sechin, before it attempted to flee a French Riviera port.

A number of superyachts owned by Russian billionaires appeared to have found temporary haven in the Maldives, a luxury holiday destination, that crucially does not have an extradition treaty with the US or EU.

The Independent has a proud history of campaigning for the rights of the most vulnerable, and we first ran our Refugees Welcome campaign during the war in Syria in 2015. Now, as we renew our campaign and launch this petition in the wake of the unfolding Ukrainian crisis, we are calling on the government to go further and faster to ensure help is delivered. To find out more about our Refugees Welcome campaign, click here . To sign the petition click here . If you would like to donate then please click here for our GoFundMe page.

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US alleges sanctioned Russian oligarch’s niece made payments for his $300M yacht

The yacht, known as the Amadea, was seized by officials in 2022, with the U.S. alleging billionaire Putin ally Suleiman Kerimov is the ultimate beneficial owner.

U.S. authorities claim to be one step closer to proving a seized $300 million mega yacht is owned by sanctioned Russian Suleiman Kerimov, according to new court filings that detail alleged payments for the boat from the oligarch’s niece.

The yacht, a 348-foot luxury vessel known as Amadea, was seized in Fiji in 2022 by local officials at the request of the United States, as part of the Justice Department’s ongoing efforts to identify and seize assets of sanctioned Russian oligarchs in the wake of Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Kerimov, known for throwing lavish parties and for his reportedly close relationship with Vladimir Putin, was sanctioned by the U.S. in 2018. Britain and the European Union later followed suit.

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However, since the Amadea’s seizure, another Russian oligarch, Eduard Khudainatov, who is not currently under U.S. sanctions, has claimed to be the yacht’s rightful owner — an assertion U.S. authorities deny.

Prosecutors allege that new documents show Kerimov’s niece, Alisa Gadzhieva, entered into a loan agreement with the company that owns the yacht, Errigal Marine Limited, and then made two payments to Khudainatov’s holding company, Invest International Finance Ltd, Intelligence Online reported .

“The United States takes sanction evasion seriously and will use all tools at its disposal to ensure that sanctioned individuals are held accountable for their crimes,” U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Damian Williams said in an earlier statement . 

The ship belongs to an array of high-value luxury items linked to Kerimov, including private jets and sportscars, like a $650,000 Ferrari that Kerimov totaled in a fiery crash on the French Riviera in 2006. 

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The yacht’s seizure followed ICIJ’s Pandora Papers, which included revelations on the offshore financial empire of Kerimov and his closest associates. The investigation showed billions of dollars flowing through opaque offshore shell companies associated with Kerimov, and covert money flows tied to oligarchs and others close to the Kremlin. It also highlighted offshore professionals who have helped oligarchs secretly buy luxury assets like yachts and jets.

Gadzhieva’s brother, Kerimov’s nephew Nariman Gadzhiev, is also under U.S. sanctions for allegedly serving as an assistant and financial facilitator for Kerimov. ICIJ’s reporting showed that, in 2012, a firm registered in Gadzhiev’s name worked with Credit Suisse to secure a $67 million loan for the acquisition of a custom-built Boeing 737 Business Jet as well as a Bombardier Global Express jet. A few years later, an article in Forbes Russia described Kerimov as owning the same kind of Boeing jet.

The Amadea, which is currently in U.S. custody, has already cost over $7 million in taxpayer funds to maintain while the legal battle plays out, The Guardian reported.  

Primorsky Krai, Baia di Telyakovsky - descrizione, storia e fatti interessanti.

Incredibile ma in Primorsky Krai ci sono due baie di Telyakovsky. Il primo si trova a ovest di Vladivostok, nel distretto di Shkotovsky, all'estremità settentrionale della baia di Ussuri, tra le baie di Muravyinaya e Sukhodol. Il secondo si trova nel sud-est di Vladivostok, nel distretto di Khasanovsky - il più meridionale delle latitudini del Kraj Primorskij. In termini di turismo, la seconda baia è più attraente. Pertanto, presteremo più attenzione ad esso.

Primorsky Krai, baia di Telyakovsky

Un po 'di storia

Molti oggetti geografici di Primorye e dell'Estremo Oriente hanno ricevuto i loro nomi dai nomi dei pionieri, che hanno scoperto questi luoghi incredibili e hanno dato un contributo personale al lavoro delle spedizioni idrografiche russe. Così la penisola, il promontorio e il faro furono nominati in onore di Dmitry Ivanovich Gamow - un ufficiale della famosa fregata "Pallas", che nel 1854 condusse ricerche marine nella regione dell'Estremo Oriente. In futuro, il generale generale Gamov ha studiato e descritto in dettaglio la costa della penisola coreana.

Il posto del vero romanticismo

È impossibile guidare direttamente verso la costa della baia di Telyakovsky su qualsiasi mezzo di trasporto terrestre, poiché è circondato da montagne e dossi ricoperti di foreste. Le strette spiagge di ciottoli sono decorate con pittoresche scogliere di granito bianco e una rara specie di pini fittamente fioriti, che sono endemiche del Litorale Primorsky. Non ci sono negozi, hotel o centri ricreativi nelle vicinanze. La baia di Telyakovsky nel territorio di Primorsky invita a non essere toccata dalla bellezza laconica e dai paesaggi marini settentrionali.

Questa regione è piena di specie di animali e uccelli del "libro rosso". La profondità della baia raggiunge i 40 m, ma l'acqua è così chiara che il fondo è visibile anche dalle basse scogliere costiere. I subacquei con piacere possono osservare numerosi abitanti del mare: molluschi, echinodermi e granchi. Nell'acqua, tuttavia, c'è il pericolo di calpestare un riccio di mare, i cui aghi sono impregnati di veleno, causando ferite di guarigione difficili, quindi è meglio nuotare qui nelle scarpe.

Sono noti anche i tragici casi in cui gli squali mangiatori di uomini nuotavano in queste acque.

Bassi pini ramificati, fantasiosamente radicati su scogliere inaccessibili, perfettamente in armonia con il blu marino e le rocce aspre. Non c'è quasi nessuna copertura erbosa, poiché un denso strato di aghi crea un terreno alcalino ricco, inadatto per altre specie di piante. Tuttavia, il tappeto rosso di conifere è incredibilmente pulito, morbido e caldo, così puoi rilassarti e goderti l'aria salubre del regno sempreverde dell'Estremo Oriente.

Turisti "selvaggi" e il cuore languido

Nella stagione calda, nella baia di Telyakovsky vengono organizzate regolari "avventure". I turisti fisicamente e mentalmente addestrati sono presi dall'insediamento di Vityaz a piedi, che corre lungo i sentieri di montagna e fiumi di pietra fino alla costa della baia. È possibile scendere in acqua solo in alcuni punti, che sono dotati di coperture di corda e gradini grezzi nelle rocce.

Ma l'attrazione più famosa della zona acquatica di Telyakovsky è l'isola del cuore malato, che si trova approssimativamente nel mezzo della circonferenza della baia premuta tra le scogliere. È una minuscola isola rocciosa, ricoperta di pini rachitici, ma a causa della particolare conservazione di questo tipo di mare, durante le piccole tempeste vicino all'isola, si sente un ronzio ritmico, simile al suono di un cuore. I fan degli sport estremi saranno in grado di raggiungere autonomamente il Sickling Heart se superano una cintura lunga 10 metri nell'acqua.

Le visite sono organizzate da Vladivostok per uno o due giorni. I turisti sono invitati a portare con sé le attrezzature necessarie per un'escursione, un pranzo al sacco, un sacco della spazzatura, così come un po 'di coraggio e romanticismo.

Come arrivare alla baia Telyakovsky?

Se devi utilizzare i mezzi pubblici, puoi raggiungere la baia Telyakovsky da Vladivostok sia con l'autobus che con il traghetto per il villaggio di Slavyanka, nel distretto di Khasanovsky. Quindi devi prendere un taxi - guidare per circa 80 km. Coloro che non amano troppo le magnifiche, ma pericolose spiagge selvagge, potranno rilassarsi comodamente nella baia di Vityaz, dove ci sono molti accoglienti centri di ricreazione ecologica.

Giornata internazionale di scacchi: storia, caratteristiche e curiosità

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