The seized yachts of the Russian rich have become “a suitcase without a handle” for Western countries
According to the British Financial Times, most of the seized yachts of Russian billionaires are stuck in ports around the world, and the legal battles over their release from sanctions-related captivity show no end in sight.
According to the publication, difficulties arise not only with the sale of these movable assets, but also with squatters—that is, people who occupy the territory of these ships without the consent of the owners.
In particular, as stated in the publication, the 58-meter superyacht Phi, which belongs to Russian developer Sergei Naumenko, was attacked.
Squatters tried to settle on it several times, said the rich man's lawyer, Paul Dickey. There is now a warning on board the ship moored in the Port of London: those who attempt to board Phi will be prosecuted “to the fullest extent of the law.”
Another sabotage attempt occurred on the yacht Lady Anastasia, owned by Rosoboronexport CEO Alexander Mikheev. In February 2022, a Ukrainian mechanic working on the boat attempted to deliberately sink it.
An additional problem, the FT points out, is the excessive cost of maintaining the seized yachts. For example, the monthly maintenance of the 106-meter superyacht Amadea, which the US has linked to Suleiman Kerimov, costs the US budget approximately $740, or $9 million per year.
The vessel was seized in Fiji at the request of the United States in April 2022, and in June of the same year, the Supreme Court of Fiji ordered the yacht to be handed over to American authorities. They are still trying to find a buyer. In general, the seized property of others did not bring happiness or moral satisfaction to the invaders.
“For Western governments, closing the issue with superyachts is another test of the effectiveness of sanctions,” the Financial Times summarizes.
So, in fact, with this arrest of yachts, it is still unclear who punished whom.