Russian oligarchs flee to safe havens in superyachts, ramp up security

The world is ramping up its punishment of Russia over its invasion of Ukraine – and it has left the nation’s billionaire oligarchs scrambling.

Russian oligarchs appear to be moving their plush superyachts to safe havens as countries around the world tighten sanctions over the invasion of Ukraine.

A growing number of vessels belonging to Russian tycoons are cruising around the Maldives, Montenegro and the Seychelles, just as multiple sanctions have been slapped on their homeland, The Sun reports.

As the war in Ukraine heads into its second week, Russian billionaires appear to be fleeing in order to escape potential asset seizures.

Russian companies and oligarchs at the heart of President Vladimir Putin’s brutal regime have been hit with sanctions worth billions, asset freezes and travel bans.

Data from Marine Traffic reveals at least four yachts owned by Russian tycoons are now cruising around the Seychelles, Montenegro and the Maldives.

The superyacht Nord, owned by steel billionaire Alexei Mordashov, is currently in the Seychelles. Picture: Alamy

And private security teams have been hired by Russians billionaires who are worried about their superyachts in Majorca being targeted amid the current Kremlin-led attacks on Ukraine.

The yacht movements come as the US has flagged it could take aim at the assets of Russian business leaders as part of its sanctions against Moscow.

US President Joe Biden said he and his allies plan to seize the yachts, luxury apartments and private jets of wealthy connected Russians.

France is also drawing up a list of properties owned by Russian oligarchs – including yachts – that could be seized under EU sanctions.

As the Maldives and Montenegro do not have an extradition treaties with the US, it means they are safe havens for the Russian billionaires.

According to Marine Traffic, the superyacht known as Clio dropped anchor near Maldives capital Male on Monday after sailing from Sri Lanka.

The Cayman Islands-registered vessel is owned by aluminium tycoon Oleg Deripaska, who was sanctioned by the US in 2018.

The largest yacht currently in the Maldives is the 140m Ocean Victory, belonging to steel magnate Viktor Rashnikov, Bloomberg reported.

Russian billionaire Oleg Deripaska, who heads aluminium producer Rusal. Picture: Olga Maltseva/AFP

Viktor Rashnikov, chairman of the massive Magnitogorsk Iron & Steel Works.

Titan, owned by Russian billionaire Alexander Abramov, is also currently anchored in Male.

Meanwhile, Vagit Alekperov, president of Russia-based Lukoil, is sailing his yacht, the Galactica Super Nova, to Montenegro from Barcelona, according to Marine Traffic.

And the Nord, owned by Alexei Mordashov (another steel billionaire) is currently in the Seychelles after reportedly sailing from the Maldives.

He was among oligarchs added to the EU’s sanctions list, along with Igor Sechin, head of state oil giant Rosneft, and Nikolay Tokarev, boss of pipeline mammoth Transneft.

Russian banker Andrey Kostin’s Sea Rhapsody is also heading to the Seychelles after reportedly sailing into Barcelona last month.

It’s not clear why the Russians would be moving their yachts to the Seychelles as it does have an extradition treaty with the US and other countries.

The superyacht Ocean Victory is owned by steel magnate Viktor Rashnikov.

UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said lawyers at the Foreign Office were building up “watertight” cases to successfully sanction Russian oligarchs in the UK.

“We will continue working through our hit list of oligarchs, focusing on their houses, their yachts and every aspect of their lives,” she said.

Roman Abramovich, the owner of Premier League football club Chelsea, owns a number of superyachts, including the $822 million Solaris – which features a missile detection system – and the $1.37 billion Eclipse.

Solaris is currently moored in Barcelona, and Eclipse is in the Caribbean, according to the latest information.

An MP claimed this week Abramovich was selling his properties in Britain to avoid possible financial sanctions.

Chelsea’s Russian owner Roman Abramovich. Picture: Ben Stansall/AFP

Abramovich’s superyacht Solaris moored at Barcelona Port on March 1, 2022. Picture: David Ramos/Getty Images

UK Labour’s Chris Bryant told MPs that Ambramovich was scrambling.

“I think he is terrified of being sanctioned, which is why he’s already going to sell his home tomorrow, and sell another flat as well,” he said.

“My anxiety is that we’re taking too long about these things.”

Crew member arrested after attempted ‘sinking’

On Tuesday, images reportedly showed a Ukrainian sailor trying to sink an oligarch’s vessel as he claimed his boss sells weapons to Putin.

Russian tycoon Alexander Mikheev, who took over state-owned weapons supplier Rostec six years ago, owns Lady Anastasia, a $9.6 million superyacht.

The 50m luxury yacht was moored at Port Adriano in Mallorca when Taras Ostapchuk, 55, allegedly opened the valves.

Private security teams have now been called in to protect the superyachts and luxury villas on the Spanish island.

Patrols in Mallorca have been stepped up. Picture: istock

Police have stepped up patrols of the island’s ports so there is a 24-hour watch to head off potential damage through revenge attacks.

Spanish newspaper Ultima Hora reported tycoons have “activated preventive protection mechanisms” to avoid attacks on their properties.

The Russian community has also been letting kitchen and cleaning staff stay in their villas to stop them from being empty.

It comes as UK MP Grant Shapps on Tuesday banned all Russian shipping from using ports in the UK.

The Transport Secretary made the move over concerns about a Russian oil tanker scheduled to dock in Orkney on Tuesday.

‘Silence is inexplicable’

Earlier this week, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson was asked what he thought of the failure of most Russian oligarchs to speak out against the war on Ukraine.

“I think that their silence is inexplicable, and I think that people need to step up and denounce this act of aggression, and those oligarchs who have connections with the Putin regime and who are benefiting from their association with the Russian state, we are going to expose and distrain their assets,” he said.

More than 2000 Ukrainians have been killed in the war with Russia so far, as fierce fighting in the country continues.

Russian troops have completely surrounded the cities of Kherson and Mariupol in southern Ukraine, while the country’s second city of Kharkiv has continued to come under intense shelling.

And Putin’s troops continue to close in on the capital Kyiv, even as the Russian President’s hopes of a quick takeover of the country have seemingly been dashed.

This article originally appeared on The Sun and has been republished here with permission