russian yacht seized barcelona

Spain seizes Russian oligarch's yacht in Barcelona

• Medium Text

Coming soon: Get the latest news and expert analysis about the state of the global economy with Reuters Econ World. Sign up here.

Reporting by Belen Carreno, Joan Faus and Isla Binnie, additional reporting Catarina Demony; Editing by Aislinn Laing and Cynthia Osterman

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. New Tab , opens new tab

German police have arrested an assistant to a European Parliament member for the far-right Alternative for Germany on suspicion of "an especially severe case" of espionage for China, the federal prosecutor's office said on Tuesday.

World Chevron

Musk decries Australian court 'censorship' of X terror posts

Elon Musk lashed out at Australia's prime minister on Tuesday after a court ordered his social media company X take down footage of an alleged terrorist attack in Sydney, and said the ruling meant any country could control "the entire internet".

At least five migrants died in an attempt to cross the English Channel from an area near the French town of Wimereux on Tuesday, police said.

• International edition
• Australia edition
• Europe edition

Spain has seized Russian oligarch’s $140m superyacht in Barcelona, PM says

Spanish prime minister Pedro Sánchez said ‘there will be more’ after the seizure as the west targets Russia over its invasion of Ukraine

• Russia-Ukraine war: live updates

Spain has temporarily seized a Russian oligarch’s $140m (£108m) yacht in Barcelona, as two sources said the vessel belonged to the head of Russian state conglomerate Rostec, an ally of Russian president Vladimir Putin.

“Today we seized – the technical term is provisionally immobilised – a yacht belonging to one of the principal oligarchs,” Spanish prime minister Pedro Sánchez said on La Sexta television on Monday. “We are talking about a yacht that we estimate is worth $140m.”

“There will be more,” he added, without elaborating. Monitoring site Marine Traffic has said that yachts linked to two other oligarchs who are not yet sanctioned were also docked in Barcelona.

The 85-metre (279ft) superyacht Valerie belongs to Sergei Chemezov, a former KGB officer who heads state conglomerate Rostec, two sources told Reuters.

Sailing under the flag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the vessel is registered to Chemezov’s stepdaughter, Anastasia Ignatova, through a the British Virgin Islands company, according to a 2021 article published in the Pandora Papers information leak.

The west has sanctioned Russian billionaires , frozen state assets and cut off much of the Russian corporate sector from the global economy since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on 24 February.

Chemezov was sanctioned by the United States in 2014 and Britain in 2020 over Russia’s annexation of Crimea and was named in sanctions lists this month by the United States and Australia. The US sanctions also targeted Chemezov’s stepdaughter as well as his wife and son.

He was not named in the latest European list of sanctioned Russian figures but the EU imposed measures against him in 2014. A fourth package of EU sanctions against Russia is due to be unveiled in the coming days.

The yacht has been in Barcelona since 9 February, according to Marine Traffic, and was until Monday under repair at Barcelona’s shipyard MB92.

The yacht will remain under detention while Spanish authorities confirm its ownership and whether they feature on any list of sanctions targets, a government source said.

Chemezov told staff in a message shared with Reuters this week that Russia, which describes its actions in Ukraine as a “special military operation” to safeguard domestic security, would emerge “victorious” despite the sanctions.

Most viewed

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.

Spain says it seized a $153 million super-yacht linked to Russian oligarch Sergei Chemezov, an arms tycoon who worked with Putin as a KGB spy

• Spain said it seized a $153 million super-yacht owned by a prominent Russian oligarch.
• Reuters named the oligarch as Sergei Chemezov, CEO of Russian state-owned defense conglomerate Rostec.
• Western nations have targeted the prized assets of Russian oligarchs as part of sweeping sanctions.

Spain said it seized a $153 million super-yacht that was later linked to Russian oligarch Sergei Chemezov, CEO of Russian state-owned defense conglomerate Rostec and a close ally of President Vladimir Putin.

"Today we have temporarily immobilized a yacht of one of Russia's most prominent oligarchs, and there will be more to come," Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez told the LaSexta television channel in an inteview, according to the Associated Press.

Sanchez didn't name the owner of the yacht, Valerie . However, Reuters , citing two sources, reported that it belonged to Chemezov, who once worked with Putin as a KGB spy .

Related stories

The 85-meter (279-foot) Valerie was sailing under the flag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and is registered to Chemezov's stepdaughter, Anastasia Ignatova, through a British Virgin Islands company, according to a 2021 report on the Pandora Papers  leak.

Valerie has been in Barcelona since February 9, according to Marine Traffic , which tracks ship movements globally.

The yacht will be detained while Spanish authorities confirm its ownership and check if it falls under Western sanctions, Reuters reported, citing a government source.

Chemezov did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment, which was sent via Rostec.

Chemezov said last week that Russia would emerge victorious from Western sanctions. "If you glance at Russia's history, almost all of that history Russia has battled with different sanctions, with enemies which encircled her, and she always came out as the victor," he told Rostec staff, according to  Reuters .

Chemezov was sanctioned by the US and the EU in 2014, after Russia annexed Crimea, and by the UK in 2020 . He was named in US sanctions in March 2022 after Russia invaded Ukraine. The most recent US sanctions also target Chemezov's wife, son, and stepdaughter.

Russian oligarchs have been a focus of Western sanctions since Russia invaded Ukraine. Last week, President Joe Biden said in his State of the Union address that the US would seize luxury assets from Russian oligarchs, including yachts, apartments, and private jets.

In recent weeks, big yachts belonging to Russian billionaires have been seized by France and Italy.

Some oligarchs appear to be trying to evade sanctions by sending their yachts and jets to places like Dubai and the Maldives , which do not have extradition treaties with the US.

• Main content

• International

March 15, 2022 Russia-Ukraine news

By Aditi Sangal , Adrienne Vogt , Eric Levenson , Meg Wagner , Helen Regan , Adam Renton, Ben Church, Jeevan Ravindran, Maureen Chowdhury, Melissa Macaya and Jason Kurtz, CNN

Spanish authorities seize yachts of Russian oligarch

From CNN's Al Goodman in Madrid  

Spanish authorities have seized a $140 million yacht “of one of the principal oligarchs” of Russia, in the port of Barcelona, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said late Monday in a televised interview. They did not name the oligarch. 

“We have seized – the technical term is provisionally immobilized – a yacht of one of the principal oligarchs,” Sanchez told Spain’s La Sexta TV. “We are talking about a yacht that we estimate has a value of $140 million. ... It is 85 meters (279 feet) long.”  

The yacht is named "Valerie," and Spanish authorities want to determine if it is owned or controlled by a person or company sanctioned by the European Union due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Spain’s Transport Ministry said in a statement.  

This is the first “provisional immobilization” of a yacht related to the EU sanctions against Russia, carried out by the Merchant Marine Directorate, an agency of the Transport Ministry, the statement said.  

The superyacht was ready to sail away from Barcelona’s port, where it was docked at the installations of MB92, a company that does repairs and maintenance of superyachts, the ministry statement said.  

Sanchez said that Spain will contact intelligence services and economic departments of allied countries in the European Union and elsewhere to try to pinpoint the yacht’s ownership.  

“It’s complex because these are people who have intermediary companies,” Sanchez said, referring to the oligarchs. But he added “there will be more.”  

The Transport Ministry said: “If, as suspected, the ship is the property of a person or company included in the list of (Russia) sanctions by the European Council, then the superyacht will be immobilized until further order.”  

Authorities on Tuesday also provisionally seized a second yacht to determine if its owner is subject to the latest European Union sanctions against Russia, according to the ministry.

Officials at the port of Palma de Mallorca on Tuesday retained the second yacht, “Lady Anastasia,” less than 24 hours after officials provisionally seized the first superyacht. 

Both sail under the flag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. 

The “Lady Anastasia” is 48 meters (157 feet) long.

Ukraine's Vinnytsia district prepares for the impact of the Russian invasion

By AnneClaire Stapleton, Ivan Watson and Tom Booth

The Ukrainian oblast of Vinnytsia has had two weeks to prepare their community for a potential Russian invasion.

While many Ukrainians join the defense force and many others flee the country, those who remain are prepared to defend their motherland. Officials here are trying to keep life as normal as possible, encouraging restaurants and stores to remain open.

Walking around, CNN saw government buildings stacked high with sandbags, road signs with colorful language denouncing Russian occupation, and many checkpoints. And yet, there are still people out in the streets, eating at cafes, and going about their life.

“If we don’t keep economy, we don’t keep army,” Vladyslav Kryveshko, the district's head, told CNN. “We must do this."

He said the community has had some time to prepare, work on humanitarian aid and strengthen its defenses while other regions in the country get hit.

On the ground, CNN saw a warehouse owner housing truckloads full of humanitarian aid sent from all over Europe, former police and firemen manning the village checkpoint around the clock — all preparing in case of Russian attack.

In his message to the world, he said Ukrainians really need a no-fly zone over the country.

“I want to say thank you to the rest of the world. But I also want to say that we need help,” he said. “Please, we need to close the skies.”

Correction: An earlier version of this post misidentified that the preparations are happening in the city of Vinnytsia. They are happening in the oblast of Vinnytsia.

4 killed as Russian forces hit residential areas to the north, east and west of Kyiv city center 

From CNN’s Ivana Kottasová and Yulia Kesaieva in Lviv

Four people were killed when a 16-story building in Sviatoshynskyi, a residential area of western Kyiv, was shelled early Tuesday morning, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said.

Ukraine’s state emergency services had initially reported two people died in the strike.

A separate hit on another building in the same district caused minor damage, the emergency services said. 

At least four buildings in residential areas across the Ukrainian capital — to the east, north and west of the city center — were hit by Russian attacks within the space of an hour Tuesday morning.

Two residents of the 16-story building that was hit told CNN they were woken up by a strong blow that caused their bed to shake. The couple — Elena and her husband Vadim — tried to escape, but realized they could not use the stairs because of thick smoke.  

The couple said they ended up being evacuated through the fire escape by emergency services. Their dog was rescued four hours later, they told CNN, when Vadim was able to return to the apartment with firefighters.  

Another resident, Galina Borisovna, 70, who lives on the 10th floor, told CNN she had decided to spend the whole night in the shelter — a decision that likely saved her life.  

“When I left [the shelter], I realized I had lost everything. My one-room apartment has burned down completely,” she told CNN.

It's mid-afternoon in Kyiv. Here's what you need to know

At least four buildings in residential areas of Kyiv were hit by strikes early Tuesday morning, killing two people . In the besieged  city of Mariupol , more  than 2,500 civilians  have died, Ukrainian officials estimate, and those who remain have no electricity, water or heat.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has renewed his calls for other countries to come to Ukraine's aid ahead of meetings with the Polish, Slovenian and Czech prime ministers, who are acting as European Union representatives.

• Kyiv under attack: Two people were killed in shelling of a residential area in western Kyiv early Tuesday morning, according to Ukraine Emergency Services. A 35-hour curfew will be imposed in the city from Tuesday evening to Thursday morning. Satellite images show nearly every house in the northwestern side of the village of Moschun, near Kyiv, has sustained significant damage.
• Zelensky to meet EU leaders: Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, Slovenia's Janez Janša and the Czech Republic's Petr Fiala are heading to Kyiv from Poland to meet Zelensky and confirm the EU's "unequivocal support" and "present a broad package of support."
• 350,000 trapped in Mariupol: Around 350,000 people are still trapped in Mariupol, the city in southeastern Ukraine that has been besieged by Russian troops since March 1, a local official said . He added that most people were living in "inhumane conditions," melting snow and dismantling the heating system to get drinking water.
• Fresh sanctions: The UK and the EU have announced fresh sanctions against Russia. More than 600 Russian nationals are being targeted in the EU's sanctions , according to French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire, who called it a "historical decision." The UK's sanctions include banning the export of luxury goods to Russia and tariffs on goods worth more than $1 billion.
• Further casualties: A strike in northwestern Ukraine on Monday killed at least 19 people , officials said Tuesday, after having initially reported no casualties. The strike hit a TV tower near the city of Rivne and officials said the area was still being cleared.
• NATO leaders meeting on the cards:  The leaders of NATO could meet in person in Brussels as soon as next week for what would be an extraordinary meeting, according to a diplomatic source. Separately, this week’s meeting of NATO defense ministers is expected to focus on the alliance’s next steps to strengthen its defensive presence in eastern Europe in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

German economy threatened by war in Ukraine, chancellor says

From Inke Kappeler

The war in Ukraine, paired with the sanctions against Russia, pose a threat to the German economy, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said at a joint press conference with Jordanian King Abdullah II. 

"We must understand very well that this Ukraine war also brings challenges for us regarding economic consequences of the sanctions," Scholz said on Tuesday in Berlin. Some countries are expressing concerns about food security because of delivery shortfalls from Russia and Ukraine, Scholz said.

"We have to make sure that our economy goes well through these difficult times," he added.

Germany has the largest economy in Europe.

Scholz and King Abdullah condemned the war in Ukraine and called on Russian President Vladimir Putin "to stop all combat operations immediately and withdraw his invasion troops." Scholz reiterated the willingness for talks to end the war.

“A recession is becoming more and more likely,” warned economic research institute ZEW on its website on Tuesday. The war in Ukraine and the sanctions against Russia are significantly dampening the economic outlook for Germany," it said. 

The institute marked the “biggest drop in economic expectations ever” for Germany. The ZEW started monitoring Germany's economic development in December 1991. 

Kharkiv was struck 65 times on Monday and 600 residence buildings have been destroyed so far, officials say

One person was killed and another seriously injured after multiple strikes hit the northeastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv on Monday, Oleh Syniehubov, the head of Kharkiv regional administration, said Tuesday.  

Syniehubov said there were 65 instances of shelling against the city on Monday alone. He said fighting was going on in Izium, Balaklia and Dergachi, three towns in the region of Kharkiv. 

Meanwhile, 600 residential buildings in the city had been destroyed in Russian attacks since the start of the war, Kharkiv’s mayor Ihor Terekhov said Monday, adding that the houses cannot be repaired.   

“People actually lost their homes,” he said. “Fifty schools and a number of medical institutions, including maternity hospitals, were also bombed in Kharkiv.”

Elsewhere, Volodymyr Matsokin, the deputy mayor of Izium, said his city has been “under siege for two weeks, without water, without electricity, heat, food, medicine, communication.”

“The situation is no better than in Mariupol. We have received information that those who survived the shelling are dying of disease and lack of medicine. There is no one to bury the dead,” he said, adding the city urgently needs humanitarian aid.  

Russian TV anti-war protester's lawyer still does not know where she is

From CNN’s Paul P. Murphy and Richard Greene

A lawyer for the Russian TV editor who held up an anti-war sign during a live broadcast on Monday still does not know where she is, he told CNN on Tuesday.

Dmitry Zakhvatov has been trying to locate Channel One editor Marina Ovsyannikova since her protest on Monday, he told CNN.

Zakhvatov confirmed to CNN that Ovsyannikova is the woman seen on air holding the sign and that she is an editor for the channel. 

"Stop the war. Do not believe propaganda they tell you lies here," the sign read, concluding in English: "Russians against war."

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov dismissed the protest as “hooliganism.”

“As far as this lady is concerned, this is hooliganism,” Peskov told reporters on a conference call Tuesday, adding that authorities are already handling her case.

“The channel and those who are in charge are dealing with it,” he added. “It's not an issue on [the Kremlin] agenda.”

Hooliganism is a criminal offense in Russia.

Asked about possible criminal charges against Ovsyannikova, Peskov shied away from the question, referring to the “responsibility” that state TV channels bear.

“There are certain departments that deal with this,” Peskov said. “The live broadcast of any TV channel and especially those who work there hold a special responsibility.”

The Investigative Committee — a top Russian law enforcement agency — launched a pre-investigation check against Ovsyannikova on “public dissemination of deliberately false information about the use of the Russian Armed Forces,” Russian state news agency TASS reported Tuesday, citing an unnamed source.

Ukraine's Zelensky tells UK Joint Expeditionary Force to "help yourself by helping us"

From CNN's Sarah Dean in London

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed leaders of the UK Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) via video on Tuesday, warning: "We all are the targets of Russia and therefore everything will go against Europe if Ukraine won't stand, so I'd like you to help yourself by helping us."

On the 20th day of the war in Ukraine, Zelensky said "we are doing our best to get the jet fighters and the missile defense systems" the country needs.

"We want to have reliable guarantees for us and therefore for you," he told the meeting in London, hosted by UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson. The leaders of Denmark, Finland, Estonia, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Sweden and Norway also attended.

"We can still stop the killing of people and that is something we can do together — stop the destruction of democracy and do it now on our land or else they will also come to you," he warned.

In his appeal for assistance, he added that Russian propagandists "keep saying the Ukraine war is only the beginning ... they are fear-mongering and other European countries will come, they are saying this now, and they are mentioning many of you who are listening to me right now."

China says G20 not a "proper place" to discuss political and security issues "such as Ukraine"

From CNN’s Beijing Bureau and Hannah Ritchie

The Group of Twenty (G20) forum is "not a proper place to discuss political and security issues such as Ukraine," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian told reporters Tuesday.

"The G20 is the main forum for international economic cooperation, and it is not a proper place to discuss political and security issues such as Ukraine," Zhao said, responding to a question about the Indonesian government's alleged plans to leave the Ukraine crisis off the G20 summit’s agenda.

What is the G20? It's an intergovernmental forum comprised of the world’s largest economies -- including Russia, China, and the US. It's due to hold its next leaders' summit in October on the Indonesian island of Bali.

In addition to the leaders' summit, special events are organized throughout the year, including working groups, Sherpa meetings and ministerial meetings.

In February, Russia’s imminent invasion of Ukraine dominated talks among G20 finance ministers in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta, with leaders warning of the economic fallout which would stem from any conflict.

Please enable JavaScript for a better experience.

Spain seizes Russian oligarch superyachts in Barcelona and Mallorca

A €140 million superyacht owned by an oligarch friend of Russian leader Vladamir Putin has been seized by authorities in Barcelona.

Another craft has also been impounded in Mallorca.

It’s the first such seizures by Spain since sanctions were imposed against oligarchs in retaliation for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The yacht taken in Barcelona is called Valerie and is owned by Sergei Chemezov, who runs the Russian state-owned defence firm Rostec.

Valerie had been moored in Barcelona since February 9 and sailed under the flag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

The craft is officially registered to Chemezov’s stepdaughter, Anastasia Ignatova via a British Virgin Islands company.

Speaking to La Sexta TV on Monday, Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, said; “Today we have temporarily immobilized a yacht of one of Russia’s most prominent oligarchs, and there will be more to come.”

A second yacht was impounded in Mallorca this Tuesday morning at Port Adriano.

It’s been named as the Lady Anastasia owned by a Russian millionaire who is involved in the weapons manufacturing industry.

The craft’s Ukrainian chief engineer was arrested by the Guardia Civil last month after a failed attempt to flood it in revenge for Russia’s invasion of his homeland.

The first seizure on Monday of the Valerie directly hits Sergei Chemezov who is an old colleague of Putin’s from their days of working together for the KGB.

Chemezov said last week that Russia would emerge victorious from Western sanctions when he addresed Rostec staff.

“If you glance at Russia’s history, almost all of that history Russia has battled with different sanctions, with enemies which encircled her, and she always came out as the victor,” he told workers..

Sanctions against Chemezov first started in 2014 after Russia annexed Crimea.

The current measures from the EU and the US also take in his wife, son, and stepdaughter.

• Spain could seize superyachts owned by Russian oligarchs under sanctions against Ukraine invasion
• Ukrainian sailor arrested for trying to sink luxury yacht owned by Russian arms dealer in Spain’s Mallorca
• Abramovich yacht sets sail from Barcelona to avoid seizure under sanctions against Russian oligarchs

• Balearic Islands
• Lady Anastasia
• Pedro Sanchez
• Port Adriano
• Sergei Chemezov
• The Olive Press
• Vladimir Putin

Related Articles

British expats are attacked by armed squatters upon returning to their home in Spain: Cannabis-growing thugs took over villa while the owners were on holiday

Crackdown on illegal Airbnbs in Ibiza: Owners are fined up to €120,000 each

Town dubbed the ‘Mykonos of Spain’ blasts disrespectful tourists as it joins calls for stricter controls on the industry

Alex Trelinski

Alex worked for 30 years for the BBC as a presenter, producer and manager. He covered a variety of areas specialising in sport, news and politics. After moving to the Costa Blanca over a decade ago, he edited a newspaper for 5 years and worked on local radio.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

2 bedroom Apartment for sale in Valencia city – € 295,000

Two years since lockdown: What we know about the evolution of coronavirus pandemic in Spain

Latest from balearic islands.

Police crackdown on ‘party villa’ in Mallorca where tourists hired DJs and blasted music into the early hours – sparking fury among locals

Teenage football fan is fined €7,000 in Spain for making racist gestures towards a black player

More from the olive press.

Underwater tunnel connecting Spain and Morocco by train could be finished in time for the 2030 World Cup, say researchers

Exploring the World of iOS Jailbreaking with iDeviceCentral’s Expert Tutorials

Spain seizes Russian oligarch's yacht in Barcelona

Author of the article:

You can save this article by registering for free here . Or sign-in if you have an account.

Article content

MADRID — Spain has temporarily seized a Russian oligarch’s $140 million yacht in Barcelona, the country said on Monday, as two sources said the vessel belonged to the head of Russian state conglomerate Rostec, an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“Today we seized – the technical term is provisionally immobilized – a yacht belonging to one of the principal oligarchs,” Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on La Sexta television. “We are talking about a yacht that we estimate is worth $140 million.”

Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.

• Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay, Rex Murphy and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.
• Unlimited online access to National Post and 15 news sites with one account.
• National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.
• Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.
• Support local journalism.

Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.

• Access articles from across Canada with one account.
• Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.
• Enjoy additional articles per month.
• Get email updates from your favourite authors.

Don't have an account? Create Account

“There will be more,” he added, without elaborating. Monitoring site Marine Traffic has said that yachts linked to two other oligarchs who are not yet sanctioned are also docked in Barcelona.

The 85-meter (279-foot) superyacht Valerie belongs to Sergei Chemezov, a former KGB officer who heads state conglomerate Rostec, two sources said.

Sailing under the flag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the vessel is registered to Chemezov’s stepdaughter, Anastasia Ignatova, through a British Virgin Islands company, according to a 2021 article published in the Pandora Papers information leak.

The West has sanctioned Russian billionaires, frozen state assets and cut off much of the Russian corporate sector from the global economy since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24.

Chemezov was sanctioned by the United States in 2014 and Britain in 2020 over Russia’s annexation of Crimea and was named in sanctions lists this month by the United States and Australia. The U.S. sanctions also targeted Chemezov’s stepdaughter as well as his wife and son.

He was not named in the latest European list of sanctioned Russian figures but the EU imposed measures against him in 2014. A fourth package of EU sanctions against Russia is due to be unveiled in the coming days.

The yacht has been in Barcelona since Feb 9, according to Marine Traffic, and was until Monday under repair at Barcelona’s shipyard MB92.

The yacht will remain under detention while Spanish authorities confirm its ownership and whether they feature on any list of sanctions targets, a government source said.

Chemezov told staff in a message shared with Reuters this week that Russia, which describes its actions in Ukraine as a “special military operation” to safeguard domestic security, would emerge “victorious” despite the sanctions. (Reporting by Belen Carreno, Joan Faus and Isla Binnie, additional reporting Catarina Demony; Editing by Aislinn Laing and Cynthia Osterman)

Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information.

Chris Selley: A victory for a citizen's right to reasonable self-defence arrives for Umar Zameer

Jewish groups call for end to funding for edmonton pride centre over its response to hamas attack, michael higgins: genocidal chants on ottawa's streets is trudeau's legacy.

Toronto airport gold heist loot was melted in a forge in local jewelry store's basement

'mobs of people that want me dead': columbia university moves classes online amid massive anti-israel protests, best buy’s electronic recycling trade-in program a simple way to contribute to circular economy.

Celebrate Earth Day and upgrade your tech

Can this pocket tripod enhance your travel experience?

This unassuming phone stand folds up to credit card size

Advertisement 2 Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Beauty Buzz: La Prairie Skin Caviar Eye Lift Serum, Marc Anthony Strictly Curls Curl Envy Leave-In Conditioner, and Ghlee Lip Balm

We tried these three beauty products this week. Here are our thoughts.

Best sites to book vacations from Canada

An online guide to make planning your getaway a cinch

Mother’s Day gift guide: For the mom who loves sustainable fashion

Net-zero carbon footprints never looked so good

This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here . By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy .

You've reached the 20 article limit.

You can manage saved articles in your account.

and save up to 100 articles!

Looks like you've reached your saved article limit!

You can manage your saved articles in your account and clicking the X located at the bottom right of the article.

Advertisement

Spain seizes another Russian yacht believed to belong to an oligarch.

The ship was impounded in the Spanish port of Tarragona pending an inspection to establish its exact ownership, Spain’s transport ministry said.

• Share full article

By Raphael Minder and Michael Forsythe

• March 16, 2022

MADRID — Spain, which has pledged to seize the suspected superyachts of Russian oligarchs targeted for sanctions imposed following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, on Wednesday impounded the third such vessel, one of the world’s biggest superyachts, in Spanish territorial waters this week.

The ship was impounded in the Spanish port of Tarragona, pending an inspection to establish its exact ownership, Spain’s transport ministry said in a statement. The ship, called the Crescent, was registered in the Cayman Islands.

The Spanish authorities have taken similar measures against two other yachts, the Valerie, which was in a maintenance yard in Barcelona, and Lady Anastasia, a yacht that was moored in Port Adriano, on the Spanish island of Majorca.

Spain’s hunt for Russian-owned superyachts comes after Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced the seizure of the Valerie on Monday and warned that “there will be more.”

The transport ministry said on Wednesday that if the inspections confirmed that the yachts belonged to people on the sanctions list drawn up by the European Union, they would remain fully immobilized.

The Valerie is suspected of being indirectly owned by Sergei Chemezov, the head of Rostec, a Russian industrial conglomerate that also makes military technology and equipment. The vessel was one of four Russian-owned superyachts that had recently been undergoing work at MB92, a shipyard that has helped establish Barcelona as one of the main hubs for the extravagant yachts owned by the super wealthy.

The Crescent, valued by the SuperYachtFan website at $600 million, appears to be the sister ship of the slightly larger, slightly more expensive Scheherazade, a 459-foot superyacht that U.S. officials said could be associated with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia.

Both were built at the same German shipyard, Lurssen, where the Crescent was given the project name “ Thunder ,” while the Scheherazade, put into service about two years later, was called “Lightning.” Both share the same interior and exterior designers and have been managed by a Monaco company, Imperial Yachts, which caters to Russian oligarchs.

The two yachts also share another, unusual characteristic: Photos of the Crescent taken on March 13 by a former Central Intelligence Agency officer, Alex Finley, in the Spanish port where it was impounded appear to show that the Crescent conceals its nameplate while in port, just like the Scheherazade .

Track information on the Crescent from MarineTraffic , a maritime data provider, shows that Crescent spends most of its time in the Mediterranean, cruising between Spain, Italy, France and Montenegro, a popular destination for the yachts of Russian oligarchs. The 445-foot long Crescent, one of the 20 largest superyachts , has been at the Tarragona marina since early November.

Last week Italian police said they were investigating the ownership of the Scheherazade, which is in dry dock at a port on the Tuscany coast.

The Lady Anastasia, which was impounded on the island of Mallorca, is believed to be owned by Alexander Mikheev, a Russian arms dealer. In late February, the police on Majorca detained a Ukrainian member of the yacht’s crew because he had been planning to sink the vessel, in retaliation for the Russian invasion of Ukraine. He was released on bail, pending an investigation.

In early March, the French authorities seized a yacht in a yard in La Ciotat, which they said was linked to Igor Sechin, the chief executive of the state oil company Rosneft and a former deputy prime minister of Russia. The French yard is owned by MB92, the Spanish company that owns the yard in Barcelona.

MB92 said at the time that it was cooperating with the French authorities and would respond in due course to any possible further sanctions against Russians. “We are continuously monitoring the decisions taken by the Spanish authorities, the European Union and the U.S. as they come into effect,” the company said.

Raphael Minder  covers Spain and Portugal, based in Madrid. He previously worked for Bloomberg News in Switzerland and for the Financial Times in Paris, Brussels, Sydney and finally Hong Kong. More about Raphael Minder

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

Our Coverage of the War in Ukraine

News and Analysis

The authorities in Poland and Germany have arrested at least five of their citizens  and accused them of spying for Russia or of offering to help Moscow commit violence on European soil, including a “possible attack” on the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky.

The drone combat in Ukraine that is transforming modern warfare has begun taking a deadly toll on one of the most powerful symbols  of American military might — the tank — and threatening to rewrite how it will be used in future conflicts.

At least 17 people were killed and scores more injured when three Russian missiles struck a busy downtown district of Chernihiv , north of Kyiv, Ukrainian officials said.

Resuming U.S. Military Aid: Much-needed munitions like artillery shells could start arriving relatively quickly , but experts say it could take weeks before U.S. assistance has a direct impact on the war . What would $60 billion buy ?

A Race to Hold the Line: The days of lightning battlefield breakthroughs  may be over. With Russia preparing to make a big push, the Ukrainians can do little but dig in.

Life in Ukrainian Villages: Russian assaults have all but destroyed the factories and plants that were the economic lifeblood  of the towns and cities in Ukraine’s east.

How We Verify Our Reporting

Our team of visual journalists analyzes satellite images, photographs , videos and radio transmissions  to independently confirm troop movements and other details.

We monitor and authenticate reports on social media, corroborating these with eyewitness accounts and interviews. Read more about our reporting efforts .

• COVID-19 Full Coverage
• Cover Stories
• Ulat Filipino
• Special Reports
• Personal Finance
• Other sports
• Pinoy Achievers
• Immigration Guide
• Science and Research
• Technology, Gadgets and Gaming
• Chika Minute
• Showbiz Abroad
• Family and Relationships
• Art and Culture
• Health and Wellness
• Shopping and Fashion
• Hobbies and Activities
• News Hardcore
• Walang Pasok
• Transportation
• Missing Persons
• Community Bulletin Board
• GMA Public Affairs
• State of the Nation
• Unang Balita
• Balitanghali
• News TV Live

Spain seizes Russian oligarch's yacht in Barcelona

MADRID - Spain has temporarily seized a Russian oligarch's $140 million yacht in Barcelona, the country said on Monday, as two sources said the vessel belonged to the head of Russian state conglomerate Rostec, an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"Today we seized — the technical term is provisionally immobilized — a yacht belonging to one of the principal oligarchs," Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on La Sexta television. "We are talking about a yacht that we estimate is worth $140 million."

"There will be more," he added, without elaborating. Monitoring site Marine Traffic has said that yachts linked to two other oligarchs who are not yet sanctioned are also docked in Barcelona.

The 85-meter (279-foot) superyacht Valerie belongs to Sergei Chemezov, a former KGB officer who heads state conglomerate Rostec, two sources said.

Sailing under the flag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the vessel is registered to Chemezov's stepdaughter, Anastasia Ignatova, through a British Virgin Islands company, according to a 2021 article published in the Pandora Papers information leak.

The West has sanctioned Russian billionaires, frozen state assets and cut off much of the Russian corporate sector from the global economy since Russia's invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24.

Chemezov was sanctioned by the United States in 2014 and Britain in 2020 over Russia's annexation of Crimea and was named in sanctions lists this month by the United States and Australia. The US sanctions also targeted Chemezov's stepdaughter as well as his wife and son.

He was not named in the latest European list of sanctioned Russian figures but the EU imposed measures against him in 2014. A fourth package of EU sanctions against Russia is due to be unveiled in the coming days.

The yacht has been in Barcelona since Feb 9, according to Marine Traffic, and was until Monday under repair at Barcelona's shipyard MB92.

The yacht will remain under detention while Spanish authorities confirm its ownership and whether they feature on any list of sanctions targets, a government source said.

Chemezov told staff in a message shared with Reuters this week that Russia, which describes its actions in Ukraine as a "special military operation" to safeguard domestic security, would emerge "victorious" despite the sanctions.  —Reuters

Sunak warned asylum plan faces more legal challenges

The superyachts (worth £680m) seized from oligarchs as sanctions hit russians.

As the Russian invasion in Ukraine continues, so too does the wave of economic sanctions against the nation’s oligarchs with links to president Vladimir Putin.

On Tuesday, the UK announced sanctions against a further 350 Russian individuals and entities, taking the total to more than 1,000.

And the EU imposed its own sanctions on 15 new individuals, including Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich , who was already on the UK list .

One of the most prized assets of oligarchs are their superyachts - and these are now being seized on a regular basis.

The latest vessel to be seized through sanctions belonged to oligarch Sergei Chemezov , a close ally of Putin.

Here are the luxury vessels that have been take off the hands of Russian oligarchs since their country's invasion of Ukraine began almost three weeks ago.

Sergei Chemezov - Valerie superyacht - £115m

A superyacht belonging to Sergei Chemezov was seized by Spanish authorities in Barcelona on Monday.

The boat, named Valerie, is estimated to be worth about £115m.

Chemezov is a former KGB officer with strong links to Russian president Vladimir Putin.

He is the chief executive of the Russian state-owned conglomerate Rostec, which comprises 700 businesses across the defence and civil sectors.

Chemezov was appointed to the role by Putin - the pair became friends when stationed in the old East Germany in the 1980s.

The Valerie is 85m long and sails under the flag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. The vessel is registered to Chemezov's stepdaughter, Anastasia Ignatova, through a British Virgin Islands company, according to a 2021 article published in the Pandora Papers information leak.

Chemezov was sanctioned by the EU and the US in 2014 and the UK in 2020 over Russia's annexation of Crimea and was named in sanctions lists this month by the US and Australia.

Andrey Melnichenko - Sailing Yacht A - £450m

On Saturday, Italian police seized the superyacht Sailing Yacht A, owned by Russian billionaire Andrey Melnichenko, said to be close to Putin.

The 143m long yacht was seized at the northern port of Trieste.

Melnichenko owned major fertiliser producer EuroChem Group and coal company SUEK. The companies said in statements on Thursday that he had resigned as a member of the board in both companies and withdrawn as their beneficiary.

Watch: Drone footage shows superyacht under investigation for Putin links

A spokesperson for Melnichenko, Alex Andreev, said the billionaire industrialist has "no relation to the tragic events in Ukraine” and “no political affiliations".

He was placed on the EU sanctions list on 9 March. He had attended a meeting between Putin and other oligarchs in February just before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Alexei Mordashov - Lady M - £20m

The Lady M superyacht belonging to Russia’s richest man, Alexei Mordashov, was seized by Italian authorities earlier this month.

The 65m boat was seized at the northern Italian port of Imperia.

Mordashov is under EU sanctions following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The EU called him the “personal bank” of the senior officials who benefited from Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014.

He is the chairman of Severstal, Russia’s largest steel and mining company.

According to Forbes, he has a net worth of about £22bn.

Gennady Timchenko - Lena - £6m

The 40m long superyacht Lena, belonging to billionaire Russian businessman Gennady Timchenko, was seized in the Italian port city of Sanremo earlier this month.

Timchenko was placed under EU sanctions and UK sanctions last month. He is a close friend of Putin, who gave him an oil export licence in 1991.

Igor Sechin - Amore Vero - £91m

Earlier this month, French authorities seized the 85m long Amore Vero superyacht belonging to Igor Sechin, a long-time confidante of Putin’s.

Nicknamed “Darth Vader”, Sechin served as Russia’s deputy prime minister from 2008 to 2012 and now runs the management board of oil company Rosneft.

The EU sanctioned Sechin last month and had his assets frozen. The UK has also imposed sanctions on Sechin.

Latest stories

If you like doggy, you’ve got to try the prone bone sex position – here’s how to master it.

An expert guide to the Prone Bone sex position, including what it is, how to do it, and the benefits

The bin collectors opened people's black bags in Swansea and couldn't believe what they found inside

The residents in question have been contacted

Jeremy Clarkson leads emotional tributes as BBC Top Gear legend dies

Former Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson has led tributes to the star

Police burst into hotel room and find 'overfamiliar' adult undressed with child

A call from concerned hotel staff 'stopped the incident from going any further'

Mechanic says turning off one thing in your car can 'double life of engine'

Scotty Kilmer, who has been a mechanic for over 50 years, has shared a simple tip that could help drivers to prolong the life of their vehicle's engine - and it's all to do with a common feature

Bradley Walsh makes huge prize money blunder on The Chase

Bradley welcomed four new players to the ITV studio for Monday's The Chase

Harper Beckham all grown up as she steals the show at Victoria's 50th birthday bash

Harper Beckham stunned this weekend as she celebrated her Spice Girl mum Victoria's 50th birthday, looking all grown up as she donned a satin gown for the occasion

‘Iran is broke’: How clerics crippled the Islamic Republic

Inflation in Iran makes Britain’s cost of living crisis look like a picnic.

Scottish pub owner in Tenerife says tourists 'abandoning island after EU rule change'

Tensions between foreign residents and the locals in Tenerife have been running high in the past few months, with a group of activists on hunger strike and a huge 120,000-strong protest in the capital of Santa Cruz on Saturday

Fans laugh as Meghan Markle friend poses with jam in 'cringe' lawn pictures

One follower said 'These photos are embarrassing and weird. Who rolls around on their lawn with a basket of lemons?'

Amanda Holden, 53, showcases incredible figure as she poses on yacht in bikinis

Britain's Got Talent judge Amanda Holden isn't afraid to show off her enviable figure, and she recently did just that in an array of skimpy bikinis aboard a yacht

Getting Ready With Mia Moretti at Coachella: The DJ Talks Going Sheer in Balmain, Katy Perry’s Pizza Bikini Merch and Fashion’s ‘Codependent’ Relationship With Music

The fashion after-party fixture takes WWD behind the scenes at her Coachella debut.

Israel hit Iran with a half-ton supersonic 'Rampage' missile, report says

Israeli media reported that Israel used a "Rampage" air-to-surface missile.

Antiques Roadshow guest in tears when she hears value of item that's always been on family home wall

Expert Ronnie Archer-Morgan was blown away by the love story

A Place in the Sun's Laura Hamilton declares love for co-star as she makes 'anxious' admission

It is a big day for the property expert tomorrow

Geri Halliwell-Horner just wore a £730 wedding dress at Victoria Beckham's birthday party

Christian Horner's wife Geri made a solo appearance at her Spice Girls co-star Victoria Beckham's 50th birthday party wearing a gorgeous pearl-encrusted Rebecca Vallance wedding dress.

Britain's Got Talent Bobby Goldfinn's 'famous' identity rumbled after ITV audition fail

Britain's Got Talent viewers are convinced that Bobby Goldfinn is already famous away from the ITV show

Salma Hayek Shares Look at Victoria Beckham's ‘Unforgettable’ 50th Birthday with Spice Girls, Tom Cruise and More

All five members of the Spice Girls even performed the choreography for their 1997 hit “Stop” at the party in London

Holly Willoughby enjoys rare outing with husband Dan Baldwin ahead of huge overseas move

Former This Morning host Holly Willoughby has been pictured on a rare low-key outing with her husband Dan Baldwin ahead of her huge overseas move with Netflix…

OOPS! Eric Trump Freaks Out Over Dad’s Trial But Gets 1 Very Awkward Thing Wrong

A rant on Fox News from Donald Trump's son contained one glaring error.

• Sign in / Join

Username or email

Keep me signed in until I sign out

Spain has now impounded three yachts linked to Russian oligarchs

Click here for all our reports related to the Russian invasion of Ukraine .

UPDATED – Thurs 17 March at 19h

Spanish authorities impounded a third yacht suspected of belonging to a Russian oligarch on Wednesday, as part of the EU sanctions over the Ukraine war, the transport ministry said.

The 135-metre long yacht, Crescent , has been stopped from leaving the Catalan port of Tarragona whilst police determine if it ‘belongs or is under the control of’ someone on the EU sanctions list, the ministry said in a statement.

The yacht reportedly belongs to Igor Sechin , the head of Russia’s oil giant Rosneft and another ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin . The Crescent has been docked in Tarragona since November. It had requested permission to depart the port on 4 March but did not set sail, the ministry said.

Sechin is on the EU’s list of Russian tycoons targeted by sanctions following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on 24 February.

On Tuesday this week, Spanish authorities impounded a yacht called Lady Anastasia on the island of Mallorca which reportedly belongs to Russian tycoon Alexander Mikheev , the head of weapons exporting group Rosoboronexport . The same yacht had been in the news at the end of February when a Ukrainian sailor was arrested in Mallorca by Spain’s Guardia Civil  for trying to sink the vessel.  Also read:  Ukrainian sailor in court for trying to sink luxury yacht of Russian boss in Mallorca .

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced Monday during a TV interview that police had impounded another 85-metre-long yacht in Barcelona [see report below]. 

Original report below:

An 85-metre yacht worth $140 million has been impounded in the port of Barcelona , Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez  has said. It reportedly belongs to Russian oligarch Sergei Chemezov.  

The yacht is reportedly named Valerie , which is linked to Rostec defence firm chief Chemezov, a former KGB officer and an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin .

‘Today we seized – the technical term is provisionally immobilised – a yacht belonging to one of the principal oligarchs,’ Sánchez said on La Sexta television. ‘We are talking about a yacht that we estimate is worth $140 million,’ he said, adding that ‘others were to follow’, without giving further details.

The Valerie  superyacht sails under the flag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. The vessel is registered to Chemezov’s stepdaughter, Anastasia Ignatova , through a British Virgin Islands company, according to a 2021 article published in the Pandora Papers information leak.

Yachts are among the assets of oligarchs targeted by sanctions imposed by the United States and European Union following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Chemezov  had previously been sanctioned by the United States in 2014 and by the UK in 2020 over his involvement in Russia’s annexation of Crimea . He was also named in sanctions lists this month by the United States and Australia. The US sanctions also targeted Chemezov’s stepdaughter, as well as his wife and son. A fourth package of EU sanctions against Russia is due to be unveiled in the coming days.

The yacht has been in Barcelona since 9 February, according to Marine Traffic, and was until Monday under repair at Barcelona’s shipyard MB92.

My Solaris , the €500 million superyacht of Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich , left Barcelona on 11 March and its crew are now looking to dock at a port further East where the vessel will not be seized by authorities.

Also read:  France seizes Russian oil czar’s $120m superyacht, as EU sanctions start to bite .

Also read:  Ukrainian sailor in court for trying to sink luxury yacht of Russian boss in Mallorca .

Sign up  for the FREE Weekly Newsletter from Spain in English.

Please support  Spain in English with a donation.

Click here to get your business activity or services listed on our DIRECTORY.

Click here for further details on how to ADVERTISE with us.

Strike by Spanish truck drivers provokes supply chain tensions

Man jumps from 7th floor of block of flats in sitges, but only breaks one leg, recent posts, basque elections: pnv survives rise of eh bildu, and retains absolute majority with pse-ee, thousands protest in canary islands against ‘unsustainable’ mass tourism model, barcelona to install floating desalination plant to help fight drought, two people smugglers sentenced to 9 years each in spain over migrant deaths, real madrid star bellingham is ‘used to horrible, serious problem’ of racist abuse in spain, yet another racist incident as mallorca fan makes monkey gestures at real madrid game, leave a comment cancel reply.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Privacy Overview

Spain seizes Russian oligarch's yacht in Barcelona

The yacht has been in barcelona since feb 9.

Lürssen - Valerie | Youtube: Lurssen Yachts

Spain has temporarily seized a Russian oligarch's $140 million yacht in Barcelona, the country said on Monday, as two sources said the vessel belonged to the head of Russian state conglomerate Rostec, an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"Today we seized - the technical term is provisionally immobilised - a yacht belonging to one of the principal oligarchs," Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on La Sexta television. "We are talking about a yacht that we estimate is worth $140 million."

"There will be more," he added, without elaborating. Monitoring site Marine Traffic has said that yachts linked to two other oligarchs who are not yet sanctioned are also docked in Barcelona.

The 85-meter (279-foot) superyacht Valerie belongs to Sergei Chemezov, a former KGB officer who heads state conglomerate Rostec, two sources said.

Sailing under the flag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the vessel is registered to Chemezov's stepdaughter, Anastasia Ignatova, through a British Virgin Islands company, according to a 2021 article published in the Pandora Papers information leak.

The West has sanctioned Russian billionaires, frozen state assets and cut off much of the Russian corporate sector from the global economy since Russia's invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24.

Chemezov was sanctioned by the United States in 2014 and Britain in 2020 over Russia's annexation of Crimea and was named in sanctions lists this month by the United States and Australia. The U.S. sanctions also targeted Chemezov's stepdaughter as well as his wife and son.

He was not named in the latest European list of sanctioned Russian figures but the EU imposed measures against him in 2014. A fourth package of EU sanctions against Russia is due to be unveiled in the coming days.

The yacht has been in Barcelona since Feb 9, according to Marine Traffic, and was until Monday under repair at Barcelona's shipyard MB92.

The yacht will remain under detention while Spanish authorities confirm its ownership and whether they feature on any list of sanctions targets, a government source said.

Chemezov told staff in a message shared with Reuters this week that Russia, which describes its actions in Ukraine as a "special military operation" to safeguard domestic security, would emerge "victorious" despite the sanctions.

• Russia invades Ukraine
• Russian invasion of Ukraine

Also in News

Alarm in Magalluf after several sunbeds catch fire in an apartment building

Tourists return home after being arrested for Magalluf attack

The plan to save Mallorca's small shops

The boom in motorcycle and scooter hire in Mallorca

• Spain wants Britons to show they have 113.40 euros, £97, per day for their holidays
• Big changes on the horizon when Britons travel to Mallorca
• Over two hours for Britons to get through Palma airport queues
• Palma Airport passport control "collapse" put down to unscheduled flights
• Living in a motorhome in Palma: "It'll only get worse"

No comments

To be able to write a comment, you have to be registered and logged in

Currently there are no comments.

Targeting super yachts owned by Russian oligarchs could hit a nerve in Moscow

Poor transparency around ownership of assets can cause challenges, experts say.

Social Sharing

With sanctions levied and financial assets seized, Russian oligarchs have been scrambling to get their super yachts out of Western ports in search of safer harbours. 

One yacht, said to belong to Russian President Vladimir Putin himself, abruptly left port in Hamburg, Germany, just weeks before the Russian invasion of Ukraine prompted wide-reaching sanctions. Others were not so quick to leave European ports. 

Authorities in La Ciotat, on France's Mediterranean coast, seized a yacht they say is linked to sanctioned Russian oligarch Igor Sechin, the CEO of state oil company Rosneft. He was Russia's deputy prime minister from 2008 to 2012.

• Canada slaps sanctions on Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich
• Analysis With Russia pressing on and Ukraine digging in, how will Putin's war actually end?

Industry watchers say oligarchs everywhere are trying to keep their yachts from being taken.

​​"There's a few yachts that we are watching at the moment in the Atlantic," said Sam Tucker, head of super yachts at the firm VesselsValue, which tracks and estimates the value of these giant luxury yachts. 

"I'm expecting some of them to start doing U-turns in the middle of the ocean," he told CBC Radio's Day 6 .

Western countries have imposed a punishing package of sanctions and export control restrictions on Russia in response to the invasion of Ukraine. Russia's biggest banks were hit, as was the country's central bank. Major state-owned companies and some of the country's wealthiest individuals have seen overseas assets frozen.

The investment bank JP Morgan Chase believes Russia's economy will shrink 35 per cent in the second quarter of 2022 and seven per cent for the entire year.

White House spokesperson Jen Psaki says the suite of sanctions is meant to make every aspect of life difficult on Putin and the oligarchs who protect him.

"What we're talking about here is seizing their assets, seizing their yachts and making it harder for them to send their children to go to colleges and universities in the West," Psaki said in a briefing this week. "These are significant steps that will impact the people who are closely around President Putin."

<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Putin?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Putin</a>´s Yacht "The Gracefull" inbound Kaliningrad from Hamburg in anticipation of future sanctions due to the conflict in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Ukraine?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Ukraine</a>. <a href="https://t.co/qdhAUhCH1m">pic.twitter.com/qdhAUhCH1m</a> &mdash; @GDarkconrad

Symbolic target

The yachts themselves are worth hundreds of millions of dollars, but experts in Russian sanctions say this isn't just about the dollar value.

"They don't have much value compared to the total net worth of an oligarch," said Bill Browder, a long-time advocate for stiff sanctions against Russian oligarchs, in an email to CBC Radio. 

But they are "a highly symbolic attack on something coveted by the oligarchs."

These ultra-luxurious ships became a status symbol for the oligarchs as they amassed fortunes in the 1990s and early 2000s.

"There is a bit of oneupmanship," Tucker told Day 6 . He says the biggest and most expensive ships are cloaked in secrecy. They have extreme privacy and security features, including bulletproof glass, and some require crew to sign non-disclosure agreements.

But Tucker says the biggest security and privacy feature of all is the opaque ownership structure of the yachts. He says precious little information about who actually owns these ships is available.

"[Only] basic information is disclosed — for example, the registered owner — which is often a shell company or a 'special interest vehicle' registered in Monaco, Malta, [or the] Cayman Islands," he said.

Untying those knots is a notorious problem, but one usually confined to taxation issues.

"One thing that I think may come out of this whole situation is the increased call for transparency and transparent ownership," said Tucker.

Yachts on the move

So far, only four super yachts have been seized, including a 213-foot yacht owned by Alexei Mordashov in Imperia, Italy.

While authorities sift through the byzantine paper trail of ownership, other oligarchs have scrambled their crews to get the yachts to somewhere safe.

"One of the things I've been trying to figure out is, where do they go [next]?" asked Alex Finley, a former CIA officer living in Barcelona, in an interview with  As It Happens host Gillian Findlay .

This week, Finley tweeted photos tracking a ship said to be owned by Roman Abramovich, the Russian billionaire who owns the Chelsea Football Club.

• Anxious Russians flee by the hundreds each day into neighbouring Finland

"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," Finley said in the interview .

Here you can see the sterns of both Aurora and Valerie, and in the other pic, the empty slip where Solaris used to be (which is the size of the empty hole in my heart). 7/ <a href="https://t.co/Luvj5vyWXp">pic.twitter.com/Luvj5vyWXp</a> &mdash; @alexzfinley

Neither the Maldives nor the Seychelles signed onto the sanctions, so the ships are probably safe from seizure there. Another major hub is Dubai.

"I think we're going to see Dubai as a big hotspot for these yachts," said Tucker. "It has hot weather all year round and … Russians can fly to Dubai without going through the EU airspace."

Tucker agrees that targeting the yachts is a symbolic move.

"It's really sending the message that they aren't untouchable. We've closed the skies on both sides of the Atlantic so their private jets can't operate, and now we're going after their super yachts," he said.

"I'd be feeling quite vulnerable if I was an oligarch right now."

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Senior Business reporter for CBC News. A former host of On the Money and World Report on CBC Radio, Peter Armstrong has been a foreign correspondent and parliamentary reporter for CBC. Subscribe to Peter's newsletter here: cbc.ca/mindyourbusiness Twitter: @armstrongcbc

Interview with Sam Tucker produced by Rachel Levy-Mclaughlin

Related Stories

• U.K. imposes sanctions on Chelsea's Russian billionaire owner Roman Abramovich

Add some “good” to your morning and evening.

Your weekly look at what’s happening in the worlds of economics, business and finance. Senior business correspondent Peter Armstrong untangles what it means for you, in your inbox Monday mornings.

Russian yacht seized by court in Barcelona

A court in Spain has ordered the seizure of M/Y Meridian A , formerly known as Valerie , due to unpaid shipyard bills. Meridian A is a Russian-owned yacht that has been in Barcelona since early March due to a travel freeze ordered by Spanish authorities. To read more, click here.

Related Posts

A London court has ordered the seizure of M/Y Luna, a 377-foot (115m) explorer yacht built by Lloyd Werft in 2010 and currently impounded in…

French customs officials seized a Pablo Picasso painting hanging in the 65m S/Y Adix in the Corsican port of Calvi in late July. Although the…

M/Y Galactica Star, the 213-foot (65m) Heesen launched in 2013, has been frozen after documents revealed in the Panama Papers linked its owner to a…

• Motorcycles
• Car of the Month
• Destinations
• Men’s Fashion
• Watch Collector
• Art & Collectibles
• Vacation Homes
• Celebrity Homes
• New Construction
• Home Design
• Electronics
• Fine Dining
• Aston Martin
• L’Atelier
• Les Marquables de Martell
• Reynolds Lake Oconee
• 672 Wine Club
• Sports & Leisure
• Health & Wellness
• Best of the Best
• The Ultimate Gift Guide

Italian Police Seize Russian Oligarch Andrey Melnichenko’s 468-Foot ‘Sailing Yacht A’

The list keeps growing with the impoundment of "sailing yacht a" and suspicion that "scheherazade" might be connected to vladimir putin., michael verdon, michael verdon's most recent stories, superyacht sales dropped 17% last year. here’s why..

• This New 144-Foot Superyacht Has a Glassed-In Dining Room With Ocean Views
• Taking a Bow: How Yacht Makers Are Rethinking the Front End
• Share This Article

Italy’s finance police seized one of the world’s most iconic sailing yachts, owned by a Russian oligarch. Andrey Melnichenko’s Sailing Yacht A , with an estimated value of $578 million, was impounded in dry dock at the Port of Trieste, according to a statement from the Guardia di Finanzia. Melninchenko was sanctioned by the European Union on March 9 as part of a group of Russian oligarchs who met with Russian President Vladimir Putin following its Ukraine invasion to discuss the potential economic impact of EU and American sanctions.

Related Stories

This new 374-foot megayacht has an epic 66-foot hydraulic swimming pool.

• MG Just Unveiled an Ultra-Aerodynamic Hypercar That Can Hit 60 MPH in Under 2 Seconds
• The Mercedes-Maybach Haute Voiture Is a Study in Smooth

Melnichenko owns the major fertilizer producer EuroChem Group and SUEK, a coal company. He also owns the 390-foot Motor Yacht A. A spokesperson said in a statement that Melnichenko has nothing to do with politics and that he has removed himself from the board of Eurochem and SUEK after the EU sanctioned him. “He has no relation to the tragic events in Ukraine. He has no political affiliations,” said the statement.

US intelligence officials have also said they are trying to link the Scheherazade , a $700 million superyacht in dry dock in Italy, to Putin. The New York Times reported that the US government has made no definite conclusions about the yacht’s ownership, but believe it could be owned by the Russian president. The yacht’s captain, Guy Bennett-Pearce, told the Times that Putin had no stake in the yacht, but declined to name the owner. Bennett-Pearce said he would provide Italian police with documents that divulged the owner’s name. The Italian Sea Group, which owns the shipyard where Scheherazade is dry docked, said that, based on “checks carried out by relevant authorities,” the yacht is “not attributable to the property of Russian President Vladimir Putin.”

Roman Abramovich, who owns Solaris. last week was placed on the UK sanctions list.  Courtesy of Lloyd Werft

Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramovich was also added to the UK sanctions list days after he announced the sale of the football club. Abramovich, who owns a string of supercars and several private jets, also owns the superyachts Solaris and Eclipse. Solaris is reportedly sailing towards Israel, where Abramovich has dual citizenship.

On March 3, France’s finance ministry said that it had impounded Amore Vero , a yacht owned by Igor Sechin, CEO of Russian oil giant Rosneft. The EU had sanctioned Sechin earlier that week, calling him one of Putin’s “most trusted and closest advisors, as well as his personal friend.” German authorities also detained the 512-foot superyacht Dilbar in Hamburg, owned by Alisher Usmanov. Reports said the crew was fired last week. On March 5, Italian authorities impounded two yachts, Lena and Lady M , owned by Gennady Timchenko and Alexei Mordashov, respectively.

On Friday, the US State Department placed Viktor Vekselberg on its sanctions list. Two of Vekeselberg’s luxury assets, an Airbus A319-115 jet and his yacht Tango , were identified as “blocked property.”

The superyacht Scheherazade was impounded in Italy during an investigation to uncover whether it is owned by Russian President Vladimir Putin.  Video Still/YT

The seizures have prompted the superyacht industry to distance itself from the oligarchs. Italian yacht builders Sanlorenzo and Azimut both released statements that they have limited exposure to Russian clients, and none are on the sanctions list. Heesen Yachts released a statement that two Russians sitting on its supervisory board of directors have resigned their positions. The builder said Heesen is 100-percent Dutch-owned company and that Pavel Sukhoruchkin and Pavel Novoselov had nothing to do with its day-to-day operations.

Ownership of many Russian yachts is often hidden by shell companies in tax havens like the Cayman Islands. They are not only hard to trace, but actually seizing and selling them could present a legal quagmire that could take years to resolve.

Some are wondering whether seizing the oligarchs’ private yachts and jets will work. “Sanctions are another example of the West doing what it does best, which is just throwing a lot of cash at the problem and hoping it gets solved,” Olga Chyzh, a professor of political science at the University of Toronto, told the Washington Post. “However sad they are to let go of their Western assets, oligarchs have even more to lose if Putin is no longer there to protect them.”

Eclipse is another yacht owned by Roman Abramovich.  Robb Report File

In the meantime, some oligarchs are taking their yachts to destinations like the Maldives , the Seychelles and Dubai, which have no extradition treaties with the US and EU. Dubai has become a favorite destination for Russian tourism and wealth.

Alex Finley, a former CIA officer, has been tracking the yachts from Barcelona. Using the hashtag “Yacht Watch,” she posts updates on Twitter for Russian-owned superyachts.

“For me, the yachts are a big, easily recognizable symbol of the more serious side of this [Russian invasion]: These are people who support a dictator, and have been supporting him in carrying out destabilization operations against democracy, while at the same time coming here and taking all the benefits of the exact same democracies they were destabilizing,” Finley told the Washington Post.

Read More On:

• Azimut Yachts
• Sanlorenzo Yachts

More Marine

This Speedy New 83-Foot Yacht Is Like a Formula 1 Race Car of the Seas

This New Electric RIB Cruised for 40 Miles Without Emissions During Its Sea Trials

Culinary Masters 2024

MAY 17 - 19 Join us for extraordinary meals from the nation’s brightest culinary minds.

Give the Gift of Luxury

Latest Galleries in Marine

Project Arwen Superyacht in Photos

From ‘Tenet’ to ‘Succession’: 5 Superyachts That Doubled as Hollywood Sets

More from our brands, getting ready with mia moretti at coachella: the dj talks going sheer in balmain, katy perry’s pizza bikini merch and fashion’s ‘codependent’ relationship with music, alexis ohanian’s 776 foundation invests in women’s sports bar, range media partners secures growth capital from liberty global, tpg chair david bonderman and others, new filing shows phillips doubling uk losses last year amid rising costs, the best yoga mats for any practice, according to instructors.