Amid Ukraine Invasion, Authorities Continue Seizing Russian Yachts

Russian Yachts
Russian Yachts
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FATIH CETIN/AFP via Getty Russian Yacht

Authorities around the world are retaliating for Russia's invasion of Ukraine by sanctioning and seizing the assets of some of the country's most well-connected oligarchs (many of whom have personal ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin).

Among those assets? Multi-million-dollar superyachts, which have found themselves adrift —sometimes literally — as the fighting continues.

The BBC reports that at least eight superyachts have been seized by UK, US and EU authorities in recent weeks. Still others remain on the move, or docked at locations that are (for now) safe from sanctions, such as the Maldives.

One of those vessels — known as Clio — hasn't moved from its spot in the Maldives since sanctions began to be rolled out. Clio is linked to industrialist Oleg Deripaska (a Putin ally who has been sanctioned by both the U.S. and the UK).

Meanwhile, a $75 million superyacht belonging to billionaire Dmitry Pumpyansky (who has also been sanctioned) was the latest vessel to be impounded by authorities this week, with The Guardian reporting it was seized by authorities in Gibraltar on Monday.

Other vessels to be seized in recent weeks include a $578 million megayacht belonging to fertilizer and coal magnate Andrey Melnichenko and seized in Italy and a $120 million vessel owned by former Putin administration deputy chief Igor Sechin, seized in France.

Sechin's yacht, named Amore Velo, was confiscated as its crew tried to depart from the Mediterranean port of La Ciotat, according to a translated letter from the French Ministry of Economy and Finance. The ship was initially scheduled to leave the port in April as it underwent repairs.

"At the time of the inspection, the ship was making arrangements to sail urgently, without having completed the planned work," the ministry explained.

A a $153 million superyacht reportedly owned by arms tycoon Sergei Chemezov was also seized earlier this month, by authorities in Spain.

Other vessels belonging to sanctioned oligarchs have been spotted in waters outside of Russia — but they haven't had an easy journey attempting to dock.

RELATED: France Seizes Russian Oligarch Igor Sechin's $120M Yacht amid Sanctions Over War in Ukraine

One of billionaire Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramovich's yachts (each of which are worth some $500 million, BBC reports) attempted to dock in Turkey this week, but failed when its path was blocked "by a small dinghy carrying eight children from a Ukrainian junior sailing team and their coach, waving Ukrainian flags," the BBC reports.

Abramovich was added to the list of sanctioned individuals by the UK and the EU earlier this month.

And more yacht seizures could be coming, as President Joe Biden himself suggested in his State of the Union speech, addressing Russia's elite when saying that his administration would "find and seize your yachts, your luxury apartments, your private jets."

Perhaps anticipating trouble, billionaire and Russian oil shareholder Vagit Alekperov's yacht, meanwhile, turned off its tracking sensor earlier this month, effectively disappearing from radar around the time other vessels began to be seized. While not sanctioned himself, the Wall Street Journal reports that Alkperov has close ties to Putin, and could be among those hit with future sanctions.

As Insider reports, it remains unclear who will ultimately pay to dock and maintain the yachts (a bill that could amount to hundreds of millions of dollars for each vessel), as the oligarchs themselves may either refuse to pay or be unable to, due to sanctions on their financial transactions.

RELATED: Ukrainian Sailor Tried to Sink Yacht Belonging to His Boss, a Russian Oligarch: Reports

Russia's attack on Ukraine continues after their forces launched a large-scale invasion on Feb. 24 — the first major land conflict in Europe in decades.

Details of the fighting change by the day, but hundreds of civilians have already been reported dead or wounded, including children. Millions of Ukrainians have also fled, the United Nations says.

"You don't know where to go, where to run, who you have to call. This is just panic," Liliya Marynchak, a 45-year-old teacher in Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine, told PEOPLE of the moment her city was bombed — one of numerous accounts of bombardment by the Russians.

The invasion, ordered by Putin, has drawn condemnation around the world and increasingly severe economic sanctions against Russia.

With NATO forces massing in the region around Ukraine, various countries have also pledged aid or military support to the resistance. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for peace talks — so far unsuccessful — while urging his country to fight back.

The Russian attack on Ukraine is an evolving story, with information changing quickly. Follow PEOPLE's complete coverage of the war here, including stories from citizens on the ground and ways to help.