Russian Oligarch Alisher Usmanov's $600 Million Superyacht Seized In Germany After EU Announces Sanctions

Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov has reportedly had his $600 million superyacht seized by German authorities.

Usmanov is on a list of billionaires who are facing sanctions from the European Union in response to Russia¡¯s invasion of Ukraine, Forbes reported.

Bloomberg

The 512-foot yacht called 'Dilbar' has been seized by German authorities in the northern city of Hamburg. The yacht, one of the largest ever built, boasts a swimming pool, two helipads, an on-ship garden, and requires a crew of 96 people to keep it running. The ship has been in the Hamburg shipyards of German shipbuilding firm Blohm+Voss since late October for a refitting job.

The German government froze Usmanov's assets and as a result his superyacht, which is part of his multibillion-dollar fortune, was seized.

Usmanov bought Dilbar in 2016 for a reported cost of $600m from German shipbuilder L¨¹rssen, which custom-built it for him over 52 months.

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The development comes after leaders from the United States, European Union, Japan, and several other countries announced a range of restrictions, on Russian oligarchs, who have close connections to Vladimir Putin.

Many other oligarchs have moved their superyachts to safe havens as the countries prepare further sanctions on their property following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Earlier in February, a yacht allegedly belonging to Russian President Vladimir Putin, Graceful, abruptly departed Germany in the middle of a repair job for Kaliningrad, a detached portion of Russian territory, Business Insider reported.

Four other yachts tied to Russian elites have journeyed towards neutral waters in recent days as well, according to a CNBC analysis of maritime data.

Vagit Alekperov, the billionaire head of Russian oil giant Lukoil, is sailing his yacht, Galactica Super Nov, to Montenegro, a country with no extradition treaty to the U.S. It¡¯s expected to arrive there in the coming days from Barcelona, Spain.

heesenyachts.com

Meanwhile, Russian industrialist Oleg Deripaska¡¯s yacht known as Clio left Sri Lanka almost two weeks ago and is expected to arrive in the Maldives shortly. The Maldives also doesn¡¯t extradite to the U.S.

Deripaska and the companies associated with him were sanctioned in 2018 by the United States. He¡¯s been one of a few Russia-based billionaires who have come out in opposing the conflict in Ukraine.

At least three yachts owned by other Russian billionaires are getting closer to the Maldives, a small country located in the Indian Ocean.

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