At least five superyachts belonging to Russian billionaires are anchored or sailing around the Maldives, Reuters reported. The maneuvers came after the United States, the European Union, Britain and Australia threatened to investigate and confiscate the possessions of some Russian rich people in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Among the yachts sent to the Maldives is the 70-meter Clio. The ship, worth more than $ 60 million, is owned by Oleg Deripaska, who founded the aluminum giant Rusal. Vladimir Potanin’s Nirvana water jewel also sails near the Maldives. The reason the rich Russians sent their yachts there is that the island nation has no extradition treaty with the United States.
At the same time, several Russian yachts have already been confiscated. One of them belongs to Igor Sechin, director of the state energy company Rosneft. The 88-meter-long Amore Vero was taken away by French authorities near Marseilles. According to them, the vessel was prepared to leave as a matter of urgency. Alisher Usmanov’s 156-meter Dilbar was confiscated in the waters near the German city of Hamburg.
Russian oligarchs are currently facing economic chaos. People who are not yet directly affected by the measures are looking for ways to transfer their assets before they are added to the sanctions lists. The United States and the European Union believe billionaires took advantage of their close relationship with Putin to raise money. Many of them have spent generously abroad and stimulated local economies – bought property, made other investments. But now authorities around the world see them as a means of putting pressure on Putin. According to the administration of Joe Biden, the oligarchs
provide
resources for
the military
campaign
to the Russian leader and have to pay for it.
This has led analysts to believe that those closest to Russia’s president could turn against him to escape Western sanctions. Putin must now try to keep members of Russia’s social elite on his side if he wants to retain power, the BBC reports. And this is especially difficult given the opposition of the West.
Several Russian oligarchs have already said publicly that they are against the war – a rare sign of disagreement with the president’s administration. Some of the well-known people around Putin are not on the list of those sanctioned. Outside of him is Roman Abramovich, who has earned his money in the energy business and owns the Chelsea football club. In recent days, he has been talking about peace and looking for a way to sell the team. However, the list continues to grow. Britain has targeted 195 people, including the Russian president himself.
The EU has already punished some of the richest oligarchs with property outside Russia. Among them are tycoons Alisher Usmanov and Alexei Mordashov and billionaire bankers Mikhail Friedman and Pyotr Aven.
Earlier, Friedman, a native of western Ukraine, wrote an open letter to his subordinates, saying he wanted the “bloodshed to stop.”
“My parents are Ukrainian citizens and live in Lviv. This is my favorite city. But I have also spent much of my life doing business as a Russian citizen. I am
deeply connected
with both peoples
and I see what is happening now as a tragedy for both sides, “he wrote. As the founder of Russia’s largest private bank, Alfa Bank, his business is particularly affected.
Friedman’s words were backed by another Russian millionaire, Oleg Deripaska, who made his fortune from the aluminum business. “Peace is very important. Negotiations must begin as soon as possible, “he explained. In 2018, the businessman was sanctioned by the United States for a crime, noting that he “does not differ from Russia.” But now he is unhappy with the economic changes ahead of him and his country.
Despite the disagreement with the war, Deripaska, Friedman and Oleg Tinkov, founder of Tinkoff Bank, did not directly mention Putin’s name, and Friedman expressed dissatisfaction with EU sanctions. “Imposing them on us creates a lot of tension, but we have no influence on the country’s political decisions,” he said.
Restrictions imposed on Russian oligarchs threaten their estates, yachts and their children’s education in private schools.
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