Germany seizes world’s largest yacht owned by Russian oligarch

Germany has formally confiscated the world’s largest superyacht owned by Russian oligarch Alisher Usmanov, as a part of sanctions towards Moscow following the outbreak of battle in Ukraine.

The 156-metre (1,680-feet) lengthy “Dilbar” has an estimated worth of $600 million (555 million euros) based on Forbes journal.

Since final October the boat has been docked for repairs in a Hamburg shipyard, rfi reported.

German customs had been planning to seize the superyacht for a number of weeks, however couldn’t because of a authorized imbroglio over its possession.

Finally, the German Federal Judicial Police indicated that they’d succeeded “after prolonged investigations, and despite concealment through offshore firms, in figuring out the proprietor of the M/S Dilbar and it’s Gulbakhor Ismailova, the sister of Alisher Usmanov”.

“The luxurious yacht is now beneath the sanctions regime and so could possibly be confiscated in Hamburg,” police added on Twitter.

The Russian billionaire and his sister are each targeted by European sanctions towards Russian oligarchs in addition to members of their households.

Usmanov, 68, was ranked sixth in the Sunday Times’ checklist of the richest individuals within the UK in 2021.

He’s considered one of dozens of Russian oligarchs hit by Western sanctions since Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine.

On Wednesday, English Premier League soccer club Everton suspended its sponsorship agreements with a number of firms wherein Usmanov held shares.

The confiscation of the “Dilbar” is simply the newest in a string of seizures of Russian superyachts beneath the Western sanctions.