Multiple superyachts owned by Russian billionaires have been found to be either anchored or cruising in the Maldives, according to ship tracking data shown on Wednesday.
The vessels’ arrival follows the imposition of severe Western economic sanctions against Russia, in reprisal for its recent invasion of Ukraine. The Maldives currently does not have an extradition treaty with the United States.
According to the shipping database MarineTraffic, the Cilo superyacht was anchored off in the capital Male’ City. This vessel is owned by Oleg Deripaska, the founder of aluminum giant Rusal, who was sanctioned by the US in 2018.
Meanwhile, the Titan arrived on 28th February 2022. It is owned by Alexander Abramov, a co-founder of steel producer Evraz. Three further yachts owned by Russian billionaires were seen cruising in Maldivian waters yesterday, including the 88-metre (288 ft) Nirvana owned by Russia’s richest man, Vladimir Potanin.
Most of these vessels were last seen anchored in Middle Eastern ports earlier in the year.
