Russian oligarch Igor Sechin’s $120 million superyacht was reportedly seized in France on Thursday, as western nations look to punish Russian President Vladimir Putin and his business allies for the Ukrainian war.
Sechin, the CEO of Russian oil giant Rosneft, was sanctioned earlier this week by the European Union. The tough measures included seizing his superyacht in the French Mediterranean port of La Ciotat, CNN reported.
Sechin is reportedly Putin’s “most trusted and closest advisors, as well as his personal friend,” who reached the title of deputy prime minister of Russia from 2008 to 2012.
Sechin’s superyacht, named the Amore Vero, is 280-feet long. “Built in 2013, the yacht was registered under the flag of the Cayman Islands. It arrived in La Ciotat on Jan. 3 and was due to remain there until April 1 for repairs, according to French authorities,” the Wall Street Journal reported.
Meanwhile, Putin’s $100 million superyacht is safe in Russia’s militarized waters, according to satellite imagery obtained by CBS News. It was reportedly moved from Germany to Russia just two weeks before the Ukrainian war. The yacht is said to be docked in the port of Kaliningrad, Russia, near Putin’s nuclear weapons operations. CBS News reported:
Experts say Putin’s luxury vessel has become a symbol not only of his vast hidden wealth, but also of how challenging that money has been to find.
Data from MarineTraffic, a global intelligence group, shows Putin’s alleged yacht, the Graceful, left Germany two weeks before the invasion of Ukraine.
Though he sells himself as a man of the people, his wealth is estimated to be more than $100 billion.
Putin’s Yacht, named Graceful, reportedly arrived in Hamburg last year to undergo modifications, such as additional balconies and an extension to the swimming platform. Business Insider reported:
It was built by the German shipbuilding company Blohm and Voss and officially launched in 2014. Designed by H2 Yacht Design, Graceful is classified as a tri-deck superyacht, according to Boat International.
The luxury yacht is 270 feet long and equipped with a gym, a saloon featuring a white Steinway piano, a spa, a library, and a 49-foot indoor pool that can be converted into a dance floor. The vessel is meant to accommodate up to 12 guests and 14 crew.
#Putin´s Yacht "The Gracefull" inbound Kaliningrad from Hamburg in anticipation of future sanctions due to the conflict in #Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/qdhAUhCH1m
— Manu Gómez (@GDarkconrad) February 9, 2022
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