russian yachts barcelona

Morning Rundown: Obamas take shots at Trump, video shows storm sinking Sicily yacht, and most Americans in a decade on the job hunt

Here are the superyachts seized from Russian oligarchs

As part of an international pressure campaign on Russia, authorities from around the world have seized more than a half-dozen superyachts belonging to billionaire oligarchs allied with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The yacht seizures since the Feb. 24 invasion are "just the beginning," White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters in March, as an international task force worked to identify further assets that can be seized or frozen.

“The Justice Department will be relentless in our efforts to hold accountable those who facilitate the death and destruction we are witnessing in Ukraine,” U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said of the ongoing efforts in May.

Here are the superyachts government officials have seized since Russia invaded Ukraine last month.

The Justice Department announced May 5 that the Fijian government had seized billionaire oligarch Suleiman Kerimov 's 348-foot yacht Amadea. The vessel, which is valued at more than $300 million , arrived in Fiji last month. Kerimov, who's worth an estimated $14 billion and has ties to the Russian government, was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department over alleged money laundering in 2018.

Special features on the sprawling yacht include a helipad, infinity pool, a jacuzzi and multiple bars, according to a report in Boat International . It can accommodate 16 overnight guests in addition to 36 crew members, the report said.

In April, Spanish law-enforcement officials seized a 255-foot yacht called the Tango, which Justice Department says is owned by oligarch Viktor Vekselberg. Vekselberg is an aluminum magnate who the Treasury Department says has close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The Tango is worth an estimated $90 million, prosecutors said , and Vekselberg allegedly purchased it through shell companies. The 11-year-old yacht has seven staterooms and reportedly includes amenities such as a pool, gym and beauty salon .

Authorities in Italy seized a 215-foot superyacht called the Lady M this month. It's owned by Alexei Mordashov, Russia's richest businessman, and it’s estimated to be worth $27 million . The vessel, which requires a crew of 14, has six guest cabins , a pool and a gym.

But it pales in comparison to another of Mordashov's yachts, the $500 million Nord . The 464-foot vessel, which has two helipads and a waterfall and can accommodate 36 guests, was anchored this month in the Seychelles, where the U.S. and European Union sanctions don’t apply.

Italian officials also seized the 132-foot superyacht Lena, owned by the energy magnate Gennady Timchenko. Estimated to be worth $8 million, it has five cabins and can accommodate 10 guests.

SY A — short for Sailing Yacht A — is one of the world's largest superyachts. Valued at over $440 million, the 469-foot vessel, owned by the fertilizer magnate Andrey Melnichenko, has eight decks, multiple elevators, an underwater observation area and the world's tallest masts . It was seized in the Italian port of Trieste.

Authorities in Spain seized Sergei Chemezov's Valerie, a 279-foot superyacht that had been moored in Barcelona. Chemezov , a former KGB officer, heads the state conglomerate Rostec. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez touted the seizure on La Sexta television. “We are talking about a yacht that we estimate is worth $140 million,” Sanchez said.

Officials in France announced this month that they had seized the 289-foot Amore Vero, which was undergoing repairs in a shipyard near Marseille. When they arrived, authorities said, they found the crew preparing for an urgent departure, even though the repair work was scheduled to last through April. The $120 million boat, which has seven cabins , is linked to Igor Sechin, described by the U.S. Treasury Department as a close ally of Putin's.

Dareh Gregorian is a politics reporter for NBC News.

From yachts to lavish estates, tracking Russian assets seized so far

By Tal Yellin , CNN

Published April 13, 2022

Updated April 27, 2022

Countries are on the hunt for sanctioned Russian assets after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February. Thousands of Russians have since been sanctioned by the United States, the European Union, and the United Kingdom, among others. Superyachts and multimillion-dollar properties have already been seized or frozen by authorities in Italy, France, Spain, the UK and Gibraltar. The United States has also launched KleptoCapture, a task force focused on those who violate sanctions and the seizing of their assets.

This interactive will continue to track known developments and help show where sanctioned Russians park their money outside of Russia. Except for Igor Sechin and Sergei Chemezov, no other oligarchs or related persons mentioned in this story responded to requests for comment from CNN.

Real estate

Other assets

April 14, 2022

“dilbar”  linked to    alisher usmanov   valued at $600-$750 million in hamburg, germany.

Germany has impounded the “Dilbar,” a superyacht connected to a Russian oligarch in Hamburg, the country’s embassy in the US tweeted . The yacht belongs to the sister of Alisher Usmanov and is worth between $600 to $750 million, according to the German Federal Criminal Police Office. Usmanov is one of Russia’s wealthiest billionaires with vast domestic and international holdings. The US government sanctioned him in early March in a campaign targeting Putin’s allies, stating Usmanov is alleged to have “financial ties” to Putin. In March, Italy’s financial police seized his real estate and assets worth about $90 million. Usmanov has also been sanctioned by the European Union.

April 12, 2022

Assets  linked to    roman abramovich   valued at over $7 billion in jersey.

Authorities in the Channel island of Jersey froze more than $7 billion worth of assets “suspected to be connected to” Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, according to a government statement . The frozen assets are either located in Jersey or owned by Jersey incorporated entities, the statement said. The States of Jersey Police also executed search warrants on premises “connected to the business activities” of Abramovich. Abramovich made his fortune in steel and investments and was sanctioned by the UK in March, citing his decades-long relationship with Vladimir Putin. In a statement at the time , the UK government noted that “he is one of the few oligarchs from the 1990s to maintain prominence under Putin.” These frozen assets represent around half his net worth, according to the Bloomberg Billionaire Index .

April 11, 2022

Properties  linked to    nikita mazepin   valued at $114.3 million in sardinia, italy.

A real estate compound, “Rocky Ram,” linked to Nikita Mazepin and his oligarch father Dmitry was seized in Sardinia, the Italian financial police confirmed in a statement. The police said the properties are worth 105 million euros (about $114.3 million). Nikita, a former Formula 1 Haas team driver, and his father were included on a list of individuals sanctioned by the EU in early March. The sanction list described Mazepin Sr. as “a member of the closest circle of Vladimir Putin” saying he and 36 other ”businesspeople” met with Putin and other government officials to discuss how sanctions would affect Russia. In early March, Mazepin Sr. sold his controlling stake in Uralchem Group, one of the largest producers of nitrogen and phosphate fertilizers in Russia, and resigned as CEO from Uralchem JSC, a subsidiary, according to a company statement .

April 7, 2022

Assets  linked to    sanctioned russians   valued at $7.83 billion in switzerland.

Switzerland has so far frozen 7.5 billion Swiss francs (about $7.83 billion) of sanctioned Russian assets, according to a State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) spokesperson. The number of frozen assets increased from March 24, when 5.75 billion Swiss francs (about $6.18 billion) were initially frozen. Frozen assets include 11 properties throughout Switzerland. No identifiable information was revealed and no specific assets were mentioned in the initial statement. After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Switzerland broke from traditional neutrality and adopted EU sanctions.

April 5, 2022

Assets  linked to    sanctioned russians   valued at $3 billion in belgium.

Belgian authorities have frozen $3 billion in Russian assets and blocked $215 billion in transactions since the start of economic sanctions, according to Belgian Minister of Finance Vincent Van Peteghem. The frozen assets belong to 877 individuals and 62 entities on the European sanctions list, according to the statement from the Belgian Finance Ministry. The blocked transactions are the result of other restrictions imposed by the European Union on Russia.

April 4, 2022

“tango”  linked to    viktor vekselberg   valued at $90 million in mallorca, spain.

Spanish authorities seized a superyacht named “Tango,” which they say is owned by Russian oligarch Viktor Vekselberg in Mallorca, according to a statement from the Spanish Civil Guard. The detained yacht was part of an operation with US federal agents and was carried out under a Spanish court order, the statement said. Vekselberg runs the Russian investment company Renova Group. He is worth approximately $16.5 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. He was sanctioned by the United States and is “under investigation for tax fraud, money laundering and document forgery trying to hide the ownership of this superyacht to avoid sanctions” and is “very close to (Russian President) Vladimir Putin,” the Spanish Civil Guard said. Vekselberg’s case marks the first seizure for the newly formed US task force, KleptoCapture. The yacht is 78 meters long (about 256 feet) and is valued at nearly $90 million, per the US Department of Justice.

March 29, 2022

“phi”  linked to    a russian businessman   valued at $50 million in london, england.

The United Kingdom detained the “Phi” yacht belonging to an unnamed-Russian businessman with ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Russian regime, according to the UK Department for Transport. The Dutch-built vessel is docked in East London’s Canary Wharf for the superyacht awards, and was planning to depart March 29. The Department of Transport claims that the ownership of the boat was “deliberately well hidden.” It sails under the Maltese flag and is registered to a company based in the Caribbean islands of St. Kitts and Nevis. The 192-foot yacht is worth approximately £38 million (about $50 million).

March 23, 2022

Assets  linked to    sanctioned russians   valued at $800 million in france.

French authorities have frozen assets linked to sanctioned Russian oligarchs valued at $800 million, according to French government spokesperson Gabriel Attal. The European Union’s latest round of sanctions in early March against Russia included measures targeting 160 oligarchs and Russian politicians. “There will be no taboo if we need to go further,” Attal said about any additional sanctions.

March 22, 2022

Assets  linked to    sanctioned russians   valued at $431 million in the netherlands.

The Netherlands has frozen nearly 392 million euros (about $431 million) in Russian assets, the Dutch Ministry of Finance told parliament in a letter seen by CNN. The ministry said that further asset freezes were expected. The European Union’s latest round of sanctions in early March against Russia included measures targeting 160 oligarchs and Russian politicians.

March 21, 2022

“axioma”  linked to    dmitry pumpyansky   valued at $75 million in gibraltar.

Authorities in Gibraltar have detained the “Axioma” yacht linked to Russian billionaire Dmitry Pumpyansky, according to UK and Gibraltar government statements. Pumpyansky was sanctioned by the EU and UK and was the beneficiary of TMK PAO, Russia’s largest oil and gas steel pipe maker. He also resigned from the TMK PAO’s board of directors, the company announced . The 240-foot yacht is worth approximately $75 million, according to SuperYachtFan . Gibraltar’s ports had been closed to sanctioned individuals, but the Captain of the Port made an exception after JPMorgan Chase was granted a court order authorizing the seizure. “JPMorgan is acting pursuant to its mortgage rights,” the Gibraltar government said in a statement to CNN. JPMorgan Chase, the largest bank in the United States, said in a statement in early March it was getting out of Russia following the invasion of Ukraine, citing “compliance with directives by governments around the world.”

March 18, 2022

Real estate  linked to    alexey mordaschov   valued at $116 million in sardinia, italy.

The Italian financial police seized a real estate complex belonging to Russian billionaire Alexey Mordaschov in Sardinia, according to Italy’s Prime Minister’s office. Mordaschov is the chairman of Russian mining and steel company Severstal and is one of Russia’s richest men, worth $18.5 billion, according to Forbes . The frozen real estate is worth around 105 million euros (about $116 million), per Ferdinando Giugliano, the media advisor to the Italian Prime Minister. On March 4, Mordaschov’s yacht, named “Lady M” was also seized in Italy. The 213-foot yacht is worth approximately 65 million euros (about $71 million).

March 16, 2022

“crescent”  linked to    an unknown owner   valued at $600 million in tarragona, spain.

Spanish authorities have detained a superyacht, named “Crescent” in the port of Tarragona, according to a statement from Spain’s Ministry for Transport. The 135-meter yacht flies a Cayman Islands flag and has been “provisionally detained” to establish whether it is the possession of a person or entity included in the European Council’s package of sanctions, the statement said. The yacht cost approximately $600 million, according to SuperYachtFan.

Real estate  linked to    Petr Aven   valued at $4.4 million in Sardinia, Italy

The Italian financial police froze a real estate complex belonging partially to Russian oligarch Petr Aven in Sardinia, according to a statement issued by Prime Minister Mario Draghi’s press office. The share of real estate is worth approximately 4 million euros (about $4.4 million), according to the Italian Prime Minister’s office. The billionaire stepped down earlier this month as Director of Russian private bank Alfa Bank and from the board of the investment firm he co-founded, LetterOne, after being sanctioned by the EU and UK . The European Union named Aven as “one of Vladimir Putin’s closest oligarchs,” who “regularly meet” with the Russian President in the Kremlin, and “does not operate independently of the President’s demands.”

Real estate and vehicles  linked to    Alisher Usmanov   valued at $72 million in Italy

Real estate assets and six corporate vehicles belonging to Russian oligarch Alisher Usmanov were seized by the Italian financial police. The seized assets are worth approximately 66 million euros (about $72 million). Usmanov is one of Russia’s wealthiest billionaires with vast domestic and international holdings. The US government sanctioned him in early March in a campaign targeting Putin’s allies, stating he is alleged to have financial ties to Putin. Italy’s financial police had previously seized his real estate in the Golfo del Pevero area in Arzachena on March 4. Those assets are worth approximately 17 million euros (about $18 million).

March 15, 2022

“lady anastasia”  linked to    alexander mikheev   valued at $7 million in palma de mallorca, spain.

Spanish authorities have detained a yacht linked to Russian oligarch Alexander Mikheev, named “Lady Anastasia,” in the port of Palma de Mallorca, according to the Spanish Ministry of Transport. Mikheev is the CEO of Rosoboronexport, the only state organization in Russia that exports weapons and was sanctioned by the EU and the US. The yacht is nearly 48 meters (157 feet) long and was in the news in late February, when a crew member tried to sink the vessel in retaliation for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The yacht is worth approximately $7 million, according to a listing on BOAT International.

“Valerie”  linked to    Sergei Chemezov   valued at $140 million in Barcelona, Spain

Spanish authorities seized the “Valerie” yacht reportedly linked to Russian oligarch and former KGB agent Sergei Chemezov in the port of Barcelona, according to Reuters . Chemezov is the chairman of the Rostec conglomerate and a member of the Supreme Council of ‘United Russia’, per EU sanctions . When the US sanctioned Chemezov in 2014 — as part of an effort targeting Putin’s inner circle — the government said he had known Putin since the 1980s and the two lived in the same apartment complex in East Germany. The yacht is worth approximately $140 million and will remain “provisionally immobilized” until authorities can determine its ownership. A spokesman for Chemezov denied that he is tied to the yacht.

March 11, 2022

“sailing yacht a”  linked to    andrey melnichenko   valued at $577 million in trieste, italy.

The Italian financial police seized “Sailing Yacht A” — which could be linked to Russian fertilizer and coal billionaire Andrey Melnichenko — in the port of Trieste, according to Ferdinando Giugliano, the media advisor to the Italian Prime Minister. Melnichenko was sanctioned by the EU on March 9 and has since removed himself from the boards of two companies he founded, Eurochem and SUEK, according to his spokesman Alex Andreev in a statement to CNN. At 469 feet long, the vessel is also the world’s tallest sailing yacht — taller than the Statue of Liberty — and is worth approximately 530 million euros (about $577 million).

March 4, 2022

“villa lazzareschi”  linked to    oleg savchenko   valued at $3.3 million in lucca, italy.

A 17th century villa allegedly owned by Oleg Savchenko, named “Villa Lazzareschi,” was seized by Italian financial police in the province of Lucca, according to a police statement . Savchenko is a member of the State Duma and was sanctioned by the EU. The seized Italian villa is worth approximately 3 million euros (about $3.3 million).

Real estate  linked to    Vladimir Soloviev   valued at $8.7 million in Como, Italy

Real estate properties belonging to Vladimir Soloviev were seized by the Italian financial police in the province of Como, according to a police statement . Soloviev is a Russian pro-Kremlin propagandist and TV/radio journalist, according to EU Council sanctions . The frozen Italian real estate is worth approximately 8 million euros (about $8.7 million).

Real estate  linked to    Alisher Usmanov   valued at $18 million in Arzachena, Italy

A real estate compendium belonging to Russian oligarch Alisher Usmanov was seized by the Italian financial police in the Golfo del Pevero area in Arzachena, according to a statement . The frozen Italian real estate is worth approximately 17 million euros (about $18 million).

Usmanov is one of Russia’s wealthiest billionaires with vast domestic and international holdings, according to the US Treasury. The US government sanctioned him in early March in a campaign targeting Putin’s allies, stating he is alleged to have financial ties to Putin. The US said it sanctioned his private jet and his 512-foot superyacht named “Dilbar.”

“Lena”  linked to    Gennady Timchenko   valued at $55 million in San Remo, Italy

The Italian financial police seized Russian billionaire Gennady Timchenko’s yacht, named “Lena,” in the port of San Remo, according to a police statement . Timchenko is the owner of private investment group, Volga Group. He was sanctioned by the EU in February. When the US government sanctioned Timchenko in 2014, an effort targeting Putin’s inner circle, they stated his “activities in the energy sector have been directly linked to Putin.” The 126-foot yacht is worth approximately 50 million euros (about $55 million).

“Lady M”  linked to    Alexey Mordaschov   valued at $71 million in Imperia, Italy

The Italian financial police seized Russian billionaire Alexey Mordaschov’s yacht, named “Lady M,” in the northern port of Imperia, according to a police statement . Mordaschov is the chairman of Russian mining and steel company Severstal and is one of Russia’s richest men, worth $18.5 billion, according to Forbes . The 213-foot yacht is worth approximately 65 million euros (about $71 million).

March 3, 2022

“amore vero”  linked to    igor sechin   valued at $120 million in la ciotat, france.

French authorities seized a yacht linked to Igor Sechin in the Mediterranean port of La Ciotat, according to the French Finance Ministry . Sechin is the CEO of Rosneft, the Russian state oil company and one of the world’s largest crude oil producers. The yacht, named “Amore Vero” — or “True Love” in Italian — was scheduled to leave the port on April 1 after arriving in January. Sechin was deputy prime minister of Russia from 2008 until 2012. The European Union said his connections to Putin are “long and deep,” with the two men maintaining daily contact. The yacht is worth about $120 million, according to SuperYachtFan. A Sechin spokesman denied that he is tied to the yacht.

Tips: Do you have information to share about seized or frozen Russian assets? Learn how to reach our journalists and help us investigate.

Senior Visuals Editor @CNNBusiness @CNN

Wed 21 Aug 2024

2024 newspaper of the year

@ Contact us

Your newsletters

Roman Abramovich’s superyacht leaves Barcelona port as net closes on Russian oligarchs in European waters

The 140-metre 'my solaris' yacht headed through the mediterranean after leaving the spanish port.

A superyacht owned by Roman Abramovich slipped out of Barcelona port, joining a growing exodus of vessels owned by Russian oligarchs from European ports amid the threat of seizure.

The 140-metre My Solaris was heading southeast through the Mediterranean after leaving the Spanish port on Tuesday, according to ship tracking data from MarineTraffic.

The European Commission has prepared a new package of sanctions against Russia and Belarus over the Ukraine invasion which could target Russian oligarchs, politicians and banks.

Mr Abramovich, who last week said he would sell Chelsea Football Club and would give the proceeds of the sale to the victims of the Ukraine war, has not been the target of sanctions.

Three other superyachts linked to Russian oligarchs are anchored in Barcelona where they loom over the other boats like over-sized toys for the super-rich.

One is named Valerie , a 85-metre yacht owned by Sergei Chemezov, head of the Russian defence conglomerate Rostec, who was sanctioned by the US government last week.

The other two belong to oligarchs who have not been sanctioned.

The $120m Aurora , owned by Andrey Molchanov, the main shareholder in Russian homebuilder LSR, dominates the marina.

Nearby is the 95-metre Palladium which has its own swimming pool and private cinema and is owned by metals magnate Mikhail Prokhorov.

French authorities last week temporarily impounded four cargo vessels and one luxury yacht linked to the Russian oligarchs as the US and other governments brought in extra sanctions against those close to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Germany and Italy have also seized superyachts owned by Russian oligarchs but despite its popularity as a destination for the super-rich to stop off in their yachts, Spain has yet to impound any vessels.

Spain has asked the EU to introduce a ban on Russian oligarchs’ yachts in ports across the continent but so far Madrid has not seized any vessels.

The left-wing government is collecting details on yacht owners from the most popular ports in Barcelona, Puerto Banus near Marbella and in the Balearic Islands.

As Barcelona remains a playground for Russia’s super-rich, the sizeable Russian émigré community claimed they were the target of a boycott of their businesses and their restaurants, while Russian school children are being targeted by other pupils. One Russian shop outside Barcelona was vandalised, police said.

“They cannot hate us just because we are Russian. We are not to blame for political decisions and least of all the children,” said Natalia Loskutova, president of Raduga, a cultural association.

More on Russia-Ukraine war

In Barceloneta, the former fishing village which is now dominated by tourist flats and the superyacht marina, the colours of the Ukrainian flag fly but more by accident than on purpose.

The Barcelona neighbourhood has its own flag which shares the blue and yellow of the Ukrainian national flag.

The superyacht Marina Port Vell was owned by the British company, Salamanca Group, but in 2017, it was sold to the Qatari Investment bank QInvest and a fund with various international investors.

One of these is Vagit Alekperov, the president of the Russian energy giant Lukoil, who was valued at $17.9bn by Forbes magazine.

His superyacht Galactica Super Nova left Barcelona last week for Montenegro, which does not have an extradition treaty with the EU.

A spokesman for Mr Abramovich said: “I am sorry but we never comment on the movements on the yacht or any other vehicles or vessels.”

“Sometimes these yachts are assets of companies who are registered in jurisdictions where they do not need to register beneficial owners so it can be difficult for governments to establish who the real owner is,” Roland Papp, of Transparency International, an anti-corruption group told i .

At least five other superyachts owned by Russian billionaires were anchored in the Maldives or the Seychelles last week, in the Indian Ocean.

Eclipse, another yacht owned by Mr Abramovich, which left Barcelona last autumn is now in the Caribbean Sea near the British Virgin Islands, according to SuperYachtFan, a website dedicated to these luxury vessels.

Most Read By Subscribers

Spain seizes Russian oligarch superyachts in Barcelona and Mallorca

A €140 million superyacht owned by an oligarch friend of Russian leader Vladamir Putin has been seized by authorities in Barcelona.

Another craft has also been impounded in Mallorca.

It’s the first such seizures by Spain since sanctions were imposed against oligarchs in retaliation for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The yacht taken in Barcelona is called Valerie and is owned by Sergei Chemezov, who runs the Russian state-owned defence firm Rostec.

Valerie had been moored in Barcelona since February 9 and sailed under the flag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

The craft is officially registered to Chemezov’s stepdaughter, Anastasia Ignatova via a British Virgin Islands company.

Speaking to La Sexta TV on Monday, Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, said; “Today we have temporarily immobilized a yacht of one of Russia’s most prominent oligarchs, and there will be more to come.”

A second yacht was impounded in Mallorca this Tuesday morning at Port Adriano.

It’s been named as the Lady Anastasia owned by a Russian millionaire who is involved in the weapons manufacturing industry.

The craft’s Ukrainian chief engineer was arrested by the Guardia Civil last month after a failed attempt to flood it in revenge for Russia’s invasion of his homeland.

The first seizure on Monday of the Valerie directly hits Sergei Chemezov who is an old colleague of Putin’s from their days of working together for the KGB.

Chemezov said last week that Russia would emerge victorious from Western sanctions when he addresed Rostec staff.

“If you glance at Russia’s history, almost all of that history Russia has battled with different sanctions, with enemies which encircled her, and she always came out as the victor,” he told workers..

Sanctions against Chemezov first started in 2014 after Russia annexed Crimea.

The current measures from the EU and the US also take in his wife, son, and stepdaughter.

• Spain could seize superyachts owned by Russian oligarchs under sanctions against Ukraine invasion
• Ukrainian sailor arrested for trying to sink luxury yacht owned by Russian arms dealer in Spain’s Mallorca
• Abramovich yacht sets sail from Barcelona to avoid seizure under sanctions against Russian oligarchs

• Balearic Islands
• Lady Anastasia
• Pedro Sanchez
• Port Adriano
• Sergei Chemezov
• The Olive Press
• Vladimir Putin

Related Articles

Watch: Hotel cleaners in Spain’s Ibiza shame tourists for leaving their rooms in a ‘shocking state’

Swedish expat in Spain who once managed the tragic Mike Lynch superyacht gives her verdict on the incident – after 75m vessel sunk off coast of Italy

Smuggler steals a boat from tourist hotspot in Alicante to ferry migrants between Africa and Spain

Alex Trelinski

Alex worked for 30 years for the BBC as a presenter, producer and manager. He covered a variety of areas specialising in sport, news and politics. After moving to the Costa Blanca over a decade ago, he edited a newspaper for 5 years and worked on local radio.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

2 bedroom Apartment for sale in Valencia city – € 295,000

Two years since lockdown: What we know about the evolution of coronavirus pandemic in Spain

Latest from balearic islands.

Pirate taxi driver in Spain’s Ibiza tests positive for every detectable drug, including cocaine and cannabis

British tourist, 19, plunges to her death from Ibiza hotel balcony

More from the olive press.

Watch: Drivers in Spain are warned by police to never leave this item in their vehicle’s glove box

EXCLUSIVE Spain moves yacht linked to Russian oligarch after payments stop - ministry source

• Medium Text

• Shows logistical challenges of managing 'frozen' yachts
• Lawyer says oligarchs face dilemma over upkeep payments
• Renamed boat escorted by police during transfer to marina

SANCTIONS, CHALLENGES

Sign up here.

Reporting by Joan Faus; Additional reporting by Javier Alvarez and Jonathan Saul; editing by Aislinn Laing and Andrew Heavens

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. , opens new tab

Thomson Reuters

Joan is a Barcelona-based correspondent reporting on politics, economics and social issues, such as migration and the car industry’s green transition, and also conducting investigative pieces. With over 15 years of experience, Joan previously worked as Washington correspondent for Spain’s leading newspaper EL PAÍS, closely covering the Obama and Trump administrations, electoral campaigns and major news; at Spanish newspapers Ara and Público in Madrid, and at EFE news agency in Buenos Aires and Barcelona. He is a journalism graduate from Barcelona’s Autonomous University, including an exchange program in Amsterdam and New York, and holds a business executive degree from IESE Business School

Ukraine says it hits pontoon bridges in Kursk region with US-made rockets

Ukrainian forces are using U.S.-manufactured HIMARS rocket systems to destroy pontoon bridges and engineering equipment in Russia's Kursk region, Ukraine's military said on Wednesday, targeting logistics in its major cross-border incursion.

• International edition
• Australia edition
• Europe edition

Spain has seized Russian oligarch’s $140m superyacht in Barcelona, PM says

Spanish prime minister Pedro Sánchez said ‘there will be more’ after the seizure as the west targets Russia over its invasion of Ukraine

• Russia-Ukraine war: live updates

Spain has temporarily seized a Russian oligarch’s $140m (£108m) yacht in Barcelona, as two sources said the vessel belonged to the head of Russian state conglomerate Rostec, an ally of Russian president Vladimir Putin.

“Today we seized – the technical term is provisionally immobilised – a yacht belonging to one of the principal oligarchs,” Spanish prime minister Pedro Sánchez said on La Sexta television on Monday. “We are talking about a yacht that we estimate is worth $140m.”

“There will be more,” he added, without elaborating. Monitoring site Marine Traffic has said that yachts linked to two other oligarchs who are not yet sanctioned were also docked in Barcelona.

The 85-metre (279ft) superyacht Valerie belongs to Sergei Chemezov, a former KGB officer who heads state conglomerate Rostec, two sources told Reuters.

Sailing under the flag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the vessel is registered to Chemezov’s stepdaughter, Anastasia Ignatova, through a the British Virgin Islands company, according to a 2021 article published in the Pandora Papers information leak.

The west has sanctioned Russian billionaires , frozen state assets and cut off much of the Russian corporate sector from the global economy since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on 24 February.

Chemezov was sanctioned by the United States in 2014 and Britain in 2020 over Russia’s annexation of Crimea and was named in sanctions lists this month by the United States and Australia. The US sanctions also targeted Chemezov’s stepdaughter as well as his wife and son.

He was not named in the latest European list of sanctioned Russian figures but the EU imposed measures against him in 2014. A fourth package of EU sanctions against Russia is due to be unveiled in the coming days.

The yacht has been in Barcelona since 9 February, according to Marine Traffic, and was until Monday under repair at Barcelona’s shipyard MB92.

The yacht will remain under detention while Spanish authorities confirm its ownership and whether they feature on any list of sanctions targets, a government source said.

Chemezov told staff in a message shared with Reuters this week that Russia, which describes its actions in Ukraine as a “special military operation” to safeguard domestic security, would emerge “victorious” despite the sanctions.

Most viewed

• Sign in / Join

Username or email

Keep me signed in until I sign out

Spain has now impounded three yachts linked to Russian oligarchs

Click here for all our reports related to the Russian invasion of Ukraine .

UPDATED – Thurs 17 March at 19h

Spanish authorities impounded a third yacht suspected of belonging to a Russian oligarch on Wednesday, as part of the EU sanctions over the Ukraine war, the transport ministry said.

The 135-metre long yacht, Crescent , has been stopped from leaving the Catalan port of Tarragona whilst police determine if it ‘belongs or is under the control of’ someone on the EU sanctions list, the ministry said in a statement.

The yacht reportedly belongs to Igor Sechin , the head of Russia’s oil giant Rosneft and another ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin . The Crescent has been docked in Tarragona since November. It had requested permission to depart the port on 4 March but did not set sail, the ministry said.

Sechin is on the EU’s list of Russian tycoons targeted by sanctions following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on 24 February.

On Tuesday this week, Spanish authorities impounded a yacht called Lady Anastasia on the island of Mallorca which reportedly belongs to Russian tycoon Alexander Mikheev , the head of weapons exporting group Rosoboronexport . The same yacht had been in the news at the end of February when a Ukrainian sailor was arrested in Mallorca by Spain’s Guardia Civil  for trying to sink the vessel.  Also read:  Ukrainian sailor in court for trying to sink luxury yacht of Russian boss in Mallorca .

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced Monday during a TV interview that police had impounded another 85-metre-long yacht in Barcelona [see report below]. 

Original report below:

An 85-metre yacht worth $140 million has been impounded in the port of Barcelona , Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez  has said. It reportedly belongs to Russian oligarch Sergei Chemezov.  

The yacht is reportedly named Valerie , which is linked to Rostec defence firm chief Chemezov, a former KGB officer and an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin .

‘Today we seized – the technical term is provisionally immobilised – a yacht belonging to one of the principal oligarchs,’ Sánchez said on La Sexta television. ‘We are talking about a yacht that we estimate is worth $140 million,’ he said, adding that ‘others were to follow’, without giving further details.

The Valerie  superyacht sails under the flag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. The vessel is registered to Chemezov’s stepdaughter, Anastasia Ignatova , through a British Virgin Islands company, according to a 2021 article published in the Pandora Papers information leak.

Yachts are among the assets of oligarchs targeted by sanctions imposed by the United States and European Union following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Chemezov  had previously been sanctioned by the United States in 2014 and by the UK in 2020 over his involvement in Russia’s annexation of Crimea . He was also named in sanctions lists this month by the United States and Australia. The US sanctions also targeted Chemezov’s stepdaughter, as well as his wife and son. A fourth package of EU sanctions against Russia is due to be unveiled in the coming days.

The yacht has been in Barcelona since 9 February, according to Marine Traffic, and was until Monday under repair at Barcelona’s shipyard MB92.

My Solaris , the €500 million superyacht of Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich , left Barcelona on 11 March and its crew are now looking to dock at a port further East where the vessel will not be seized by authorities.

Also read:  France seizes Russian oil czar’s $120m superyacht, as EU sanctions start to bite .

Also read:  Ukrainian sailor in court for trying to sink luxury yacht of Russian boss in Mallorca .

Sign up  for the FREE Weekly Newsletter from Spain in English.

Please support  Spain in English with a donation.

Click here to get your business activity or services listed on our DIRECTORY.

Click here for further details on how to ADVERTISE with us.

Strike by Spanish truck drivers provokes supply chain tensions

Man jumps from 7th floor of block of flats in sitges, but only breaks one leg, recent posts, suspect confesses to child murder in toledo, as police search for weapon, world’s oldest person has died at the age of 117 in catalonia, canary islands migrant arrivals up 126% year-on-year, as sánchez plans west africa trip, manhunt in spain after 11-year-old boy is killed while playing football, fourth person arrested after father of young barça star yamal stabbed, pedro almodóvar to receive 2024 san sebastian donostia career achievement award, leave a comment cancel reply.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Privacy Overview

We've detected unusual activity from your computer network

To continue, please click the box below to let us know you're not a robot.

Why did this happen?

Please make sure your browser supports JavaScript and cookies and that you are not blocking them from loading. For more information you can review our Terms of Service and Cookie Policy .

For inquiries related to this message please contact our support team and provide the reference ID below.

The National

16 superyachts owned by Russian oligarchs

Western sanctions over moscow's invasion of ukraine led to many luxury vessels being detained in europe.

23 March, 2022

• Share on Facebook
• Share on LinkedIn
• Share on WhatsApp

• Today's news
• Reviews and deals
• Climate change
• 2024 election
• Newsletters
• Fall allergies
• Health news
• Mental health
• Sexual health
• Family health
• So mini ways
• Unapologetically
• Buying guides

Entertainment

• How to Watch
• My watchlist
• Stock market
• Biden economy
• Personal finance
• Stocks: most active
• Stocks: gainers
• Stocks: losers
• Trending tickers
• World indices
• US Treasury bonds
• Top mutual funds
• Highest open interest
• Highest implied volatility
• Currency converter
• Basic materials
• Communication services
• Consumer cyclical
• Consumer defensive
• Financial services
• Industrials
• Real estate
• Mutual funds
• Credit cards
• Balance transfer cards
• Cash back cards
• Rewards cards
• Travel cards
• Online checking
• High-yield savings
• Money market
• Home equity loan
• Personal loans
• Student loans
• Options pit
• Fantasy football
• Pro Pick 'Em
• College Pick 'Em
• Fantasy baseball
• Fantasy hockey
• Fantasy basketball
• Download the app
• Daily fantasy
• Scores and schedules
• GameChannel
• World Baseball Classic
• Premier League
• CONCACAF League
• Champions League
• Motorsports
• Horse racing

New on Yahoo

• Privacy Dashboard

Yacht linked to Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich leaves Barcelona

BARCELONA (Reuters) -A superyacht linked to Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich left Barcelona on Tuesday where it had been undergoing repairs in a local shipyard, ship-tracking data showed.

The 140-metre (460-foot) Solaris, which sails under a Bermuda flag according to monitoring site Marine Traffic, left Spanish company MB92's Barcelona shipyard just after 5 p.m. (1600 GMT) on Tuesday, according to the same site. MB92 declined to comment.

The superyacht, which was built in a German shipyard and first took to the sea early last year, is one of a string of yachts owned by Abramovich, according to reports in luxury goods publications SuperYachtFan, SuperYacht Times and Forbes.

Abramovich, who last week put Chelsea Football Club up for sale and promised to donate money from the proceeds to help victims of the war in Ukraine, has not been the target so far of any sanctions over Moscow's invasion.

A spokeswoman for Abramovich said: "We never comment on the movements of the yacht or any other vehicles or vessels."

The boat had been at the Barcelona shipyard since late 2021, a sector source said. It was unclear where it was headed.

Video: Oligarchs aren't just in Russia, how the rich influence American elections

The European Commission has prepared a new package of sanctions against Russia and Belarus over the invasion of Ukraine that will hit additional Russian oligarchs and politicians and three Belarusian banks, three sources told Reuters on Tuesday.

French authorities last week took into temporary custody four cargo vessels and one luxury yacht linked to Russian oligarchs as the United States and other governments ramped up sanctions on Russia's super-rich with links to President Vladimir Putin.

At least five other superyachts owned by Russian billionaires were anchored or cruising in the Maldives last week, an island nation in the Indian Ocean with no extradition treaty with the United States.

There are currently three other yachts reportedly tied to Russian oligarchs at the Barcelona shipyard, according to Marine Traffic. One of them is related to Sergei Chemezov, chief of Russian state aerospace and defence conglomerate Rostec, who was sanctioned last week by the United States.

The other two are understood to belong to Russian oligarchs who have not been sanctioned - Andrey Molchanov, the main shareholder in Russian homebuilder LSR, and metals magnate Mikhail Prokhorov.

Another superyacht, named Eclipse, which is also reportedly owned by Abramovich, was in Barcelona last autumn and is now in the Caribbean Sea near the British Virgin Islands.

(Reporting by Joan Faus and Catarina Demony; Editing by Nathan Allen, Aislinn Laing and Sandra Maler)

Recommended Stories

Zion williamson's apparent weight loss draws attention on social media.

New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson appears to have lost notable weight during the offseason, based on photos taken at his basketball camp in South Carolina.

Falcons saw enough of Michael Penix Jr. last week that he won't play again this preseason

Michael Penix Jr. is done for the preseason, Raheem Morris said.

More middle-aged adults have been dying from strokes. Experts cite 3 factors that might be to blame.

A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that more American adults between the ages of 45 and 64 have been dying from strokes.

Bust alert! 13 players to avoid early in your drafts | Yahoo Fantasy Forecast

It's officially 'Convictions Week' on the pod as we provide our most definitive takes of draft season. Matt Harmon is joined by Yahoo Fantasy's resident hater Dan Titus to identify potential busts in each round of your draft. While both make it clear they don't think the guys they pick will have awful seasons, they do offer reasons why each of their picks won't meet the expectations of their current ADP. The two also end the show by answering your questions in the fantasy mailbag.

Target may have solved one of retail's biggest problems: Theft

Target isn't alone. Walmart and Dollar General are also seeing the widely discussed issue get better.

Mike Tyson shows no interest in taking Jake Paul's bait during news conference for Nov. 15 fight

Mike Tyson had little interest in trash-talking or insulting Jake Paul during the press conference for their Nov. 15 fight on Netflix.

Mortgage and refinance rates today, August 20, 2024: Experts predict rates will keep falling

These are today's mortgage and refinance rates. Almost all rates have dropped since the weekend, and rates should keep decreasing. Lock in your rate today.

Ford Mustang variants shown to dealers at a meeting full of potential products

Ford shows U.S. dealers some potential new products, including a four-door Mustang rendering, a hi-po 'Stang that's not a Shelby, and a Maverick-based van.

Cubs release reliever Héctor Neris, avoid $9M vesting option for 2025

Neris was 14 appearances away from securing $9 million for next season with the Cubs.

Outer Banks home falls into the ocean, highlighting a grim trend. See the photos.

Friday’s collapse marks the seventh home to be swept into the ocean in the last four years.

Apple event rumor roundup: What to expect at the iPhone 16 keynote

Apple event rumor roundup: What to expect at the Phone 16 keynote. Here's everything we know so far.

Digitally resurrecting actors is still a terrible idea

In the long-running "Alien" movie franchise, the Weyland-Yutani Corporation can’t seem to let go of a terrible idea: It keeps trying to make a profit from xenomorphs -- creatures with acid for blood and a penchant for violently bursting out of human hosts. Sadly, as much as I liked “Alien: Romulus” (and I liked it a lot!), the new sequel (or "interquel") can’t escape a terrible idea of its own: Hollywood’s fixation on using CGI to de-age or resurrect beloved actors. “Alien: Romulus” tries to pull off a similar trick — while it doesn't resurrect the exact same murderous android from the original “Alien,” it features an identical model, seemingly played by the same actor, Ian Holm, who died in 2020.

These are the 10 longest-lasting vehicles on the road today

iSeeCars' latest analysis found that a handful of models have a much greater chance of lasting 250,000 miles than others.

Steelers, Raiders, Giants have QB issues while Cowboys need to choose CeeDee or Dak | McCoy & Van Noy

Three-time All-Pro Gerald McCoy and two-time Super Bowl champ Kyle Van Noy join forces for the premiere episode of their new podcast — where two legendary defensive players, one still in the game, and one who recently got out of it — chat about the ins and outs of life in the NFL.

Steve Kerr reportedly won't continue as USA Basketball coach; Erik Spoelstra or Tyronn Lue expected to take over

Who will take over coaching Team USA for the Los Angeles Olympics?

Who's winning the 7 key swing states, Harris or Trump? Inside the latest polls.

A handy Yahoo News guide to the 2024 map.

Head coaches on the hot seat heading into 2024 | College Football Enquirer

Right before the 2024 season starts this Saturday, Dan Wetzel, Ross Dellenger and Pat Forde start the season on a positive note: by discussing which head coaches will get fired first. They inspect the hot seat situations for top names like Florida's Billy Napier, Baylor's Dave Aranda, and Arkansas' Sam Pittman.

Monterey Car Week: Unrestored Bugatti wins top honors; auction action hits speed bump; new luxe cars debut

Monterey Car Week in Pebble Beach ended yesterday with a bang.

Todd Bowles says Buccaneers won't miss absent Randy Gregory: 'Can't miss what you never had'

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Todd Bowles says the team won't miss linebacker Randy Gregory, who never reported to training camp amid his lawsuit against the NFL.

USA flag football QB on NFL players hoping to join the Olympic squad: 'They still have to go out there and compete'

With flag football making its Olympic debut in LA 2028, Team USA QB Darrell Doucette says NFL player won't be able to join the roster without a fight.

• Skip to main content
• Keyboard shortcuts for audio player

Trying to sell Russian oligarch's seized luxury assets is running into trouble

Jackie Northam

After Western governments seized millions in assets from Russian oligarchs, a question remains: What should be done with their yachts?

Copyright © 2024 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information.

NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.

Photos show the luxury mega yachts that belong to Russian oligarchs — some of whom have hidden their ships as the UK ramps up sanctions.

• Sanctions targeting Russian oligarchs threaten their luxury assets — including their mega yachts.
• Many countries have implemented sanctions targeting Putin and Russian oligarchs following Russia's attack on Ukraine.
• Insider compiled a photo list of some of the luxury vessels.

Russian billionaires' assets — including their megayachts — are in danger of being seized as countries continue to impose sanctions on Russian oligarchs in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

US President Joe Biden announced that the US will make a substantial effort to seize Russian oligarchs' assets.

"We are joining with our European allies to find and seize your yachts, your luxury apartments, your private jets," Biden said in his State of The Union address on March 1. "We are coming for your ill-begotten gains."

Since the US is not in "armed conflict" with Russia it may be legally tricky to seize assets like yachts, Insider reported . 

"The threshold for seizing assets under sanctions is that the US has to be in armed conflict with the owner of the assets," Brian O'Toole, an economic sanctions expert, tweeted last Friday. "The idea of turning Russian corruption into Ukrainian assistance is lovely but this idea is illegal, period."

It can also be difficult to find out who the owners of these yachts are.

Offshore companies typically own the luxury vessels, but enough "public speculation" pointing to a Russian oligarch as an owner is likely "sufficient for a seizure," Insider reported . 

Many of the oligarchs moved their yachts to places where they can't be seized, such as the Maldives, which does not have an extradition treaty with the US.

Insider has compiled a list of photos with mega yachts linked to Russian oligarchs.

Galactica Super Nova

Amid sanctions and seizures targeting Russian billionaires, Galactica Super Nova — said to be linked to the CEO of Russian oil firm Lukoil — is no longer detectable via ship tracker site MarineTraffic , The Daily Beast reported Thursday. 

The superyacht — whose owner is named Vagit Alekperov — had just been in Montenegro last week, Insider reported .

Alekperov is not currently the target of any sanctions. 

The yacht is almost 230 feet long and can hold up to 12 guests and 16 crew members, according to the ship maker Heesen Yachts .

The ship also has a helicopter pad that can turn into an outdoor movie theatre, also according to the ship maker.

The Amore Vero

France seized Amore Vero, a 281-foot megayacht linked to oligarch and politician Igor Sechin, on March 3.

The yacht, Amore Vero, is estimated to have a value of $120 million . It has a swimming pool that doubles as a helicopter pad and a private deck for its owner, according to Oceana , the ship maker.

Per The Wall Street Journal , officials believe that Amore Vero is "owned by a company whose majority shareholder was Mr. Sechin," though the outlet does not provide the name of the company.

Sechin is the CEO of Rosneft, Russia's oil giant, and a former deputy prime minister. A known Putin ally , he was sanctioned by both the EU and the US before France seized his yacht last week .

Sechin was one of seven oligarchs sanctioned by the UK on Thursday. 

People in Russia have referred to Sechin as "Darth Vader" and "the scariest man on Earth," according to The Guardian .

Alisher Usmanov has been sanctioned by the EU, the US, the UK, and Switzerland. His boat remains in Germany, but the country says it hasn't seized it.

Usmanov's Dilbar is "is the largest motor yacht in the world by gross tonnage," according to Lürssen , the German ship's maker.

It's 512-foot long and weighs 15,917 tons. The ship has been docked in Germany for months undergoing a "refitting," but last week Forbes reported that it was unable to leave the dock.

Germany, however, has denied that it formally seized Dilbar.

Forbes said that "the German federal customs agency is the 'responsible enforcement authority' and would have to issue an export waiver for the yacht to leave, and that 'no yacht leaves port that is not allowed to do so.'" 

Still, multiple outlets reported that Usmanov has fired the crew on the Dilbar.

The Uzbekistan-born oligarch is a supporter of Putin. 

"I am proud that I know Putin, and the fact that everybody does not like him is not Putin's problem," Usmanov told Forbes  in a 2010 interview. 

Suleyman Kerimov was sanctioned by the US, and his son, Said Kerimov, owns ICE. The superyacht is worth is an estimated $170 million.

The Kerimov family owns the majority of Polyus Gold, Russia's biggest gold producer .

ICE was dubbed "Superyacht of the Year" in 2006 at the World Super Yacht Awards, according to Boat International . It is approximately 300 feet and has its own resident helicopter, according to Club Yacht .

Quantum Blue

Sergey Galitsky's ship, Quantum Blue, has an estimated value of $250 million and is last known to be docked in Monaco.

Galitsky is the founder of one of Russia's largest supermarket chains, Magnit.

His name is not currently on the list of sanctioned Russian oligarchs,

Though he also is not the target of any current sanctions, Vladimir Potanin's superyacht, Nirvana, is one of at least four ships docked in the Maldives .

Potanin is the Former First Deputy Prime Minister of Russia and was a longtime trustee for the Guggenheim museum before stepping down on March 2, according to The New York Times . 

Nirvana is not Potanin's only superyacht, he also owns another named Barbara, according to Fortune .

Alexander Abramov's Titan, Alexei Mordashovis' Nord, and Oleg Deripaska's Clio are also located in the Maldives.

At 533 feet long, Roman Abramovich's Eclipse was the largest yacht on the globe until 2013 when the 590-foot Azzam overthrew it. 

Abramovich, once Russia's richest man , is the departing owner of Chelsea FC soccer club. He was sanctioned by the UK on Thursday along with six other oligarchs, Insider reported .

The luxury boat has a host of amenities, including two helicopter pads, a missile detection system, and a swimming pool more than 50 feet long. It also has space for up to 36 guests and 70 crew members, according to Yacht Harbour .

Insider previously reported that it is currently docked in the Caribbean .

Another yacht named Solaris is linked to Abramovich. The vessel, worth approximately $600 million, left Spain Tuesday after having been under repair since late 2021, Insider reported.

Solaris is 460 feet and can host a total of 36 guests, according to SuperYachtFan .

Tango, owned by the US-sanctioned Viktor Vekselberg, is currently located in Palma, Spain.

Tango can host up to 14 people and is 254 feet long, won the 2012 World Superyacht Awards, and has an estimated worth of $120 million, according to SuperYachtFan .

Vekselberg is a Ukrainian-born businessman who owns Renova, a Russian conglomerate, according to The Guardian .

He was one of nearly two dozen Russian oligarchs and officials that the US sanctioned on Friday.

The US Treasury Department claims that he has close ties with Putin, and has announced that assets such as his $90 million jet and his superyacht Tango have been frozen, Insider reported .

Graceful, a yacht reported to belong to Russian President Vladimir Putin, left Germany just before his invasion of Ukraine, Insider reported in early February.

—Manu Gómez (@GDarkconrad) February 9, 2022

Graceful is 270 feet long and has a saloon, gym, spa, library, and an indoor pool nearly 50 feet long that doubles as a dance floor.

Scheherazade

A mystery yacht remains untouched as the owner remains a mystery.

The owner of the 459-foot Scheherazade is suspected to be a Russian billionaire, though the owner was never publically identified, The New York Times reported .

Many people believe it belongs to Vladimir Putin, nicknaming the vessel "Putin's Yacht."

SuperYachtFan estimates the ship's value sits at $700 million.

Stella Maris

Stella Maris is linked to oil and gas tycoon Rashid Sardarov. It was last seen in Nice, France, according to The Washington Post .

The luxury vessel is priced at $75 million, is 237 feet long, and can hold up to 14 guests, per SuperYachtFan .

Sardarov is not being sanctioned. 

Sailing Yacht A

Sailing Yacht A is believed to belong to Andrey Melnichenko. The boat was seized by Spanish officials Saturday, Reuters reported .

The ship is more than 465 feet long and can hold up to 20 guests, according to SuperYachtFan . The website says that Sailing Yacht A also features an underwater observation area and has a value of more than $500 million.

Melnichenko is an EU-sanctioned Russian billionaire who works in coal and fertilizers, according to Forbes . The magazine also reported that he owns a second yacht, Motor Yacht A, which is similar to a submarine. 

Oligarch Gennady Timchenko's superyacht "Lena" was seized in the port of Sanremo, Italy on March 5, Reuters reported.

Timchenko is the owner of a private investment group, Volga Group and a shareholder of Bank Rossiya. The oligarch has been sanctioned by the EU, which describes him as a "long-time acquaintance of the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin."

Timchenko was also sanctioned by the UK on February 22. 

The superyacht is valued at around 50 million euros ($54 million), Reuters reported. It has fold-down terraces, as well as an "owner's suite" which opens out onto the sea with "gull-wing doors," according to its manufacturer, Sanlorenzo.

Italian authorities also seized a $71 million super-yacht belonging to one of the wealthiest men in Russia , Alexei Mordashov. 

The 215-ft "Lady M" superyacht was seized in the Port of Imperia, northern Italy, a source confirmed to Reuters.

The yacht can accommodate up to six guests on and also has accommodation for four crew members, per the Superyacht Times .

The oligarch, who is the chairman of steel mining company, Severstal, has also been sanctioned by the EU, which says Mordashov is "benefiting from his links with Russian decision-makers." Mordashov has insisted he has "absolutely nothing to do" with Russia's attack on Ukraine. 

The Oligarch moved $1.3 billion worth of shares in travel company, TUI, to an offshore tax haven on the day he was hit by sanctions, Insider's Huileng Tan previously reported. 

He was also added to the UK government's sanctions list on March 15.

Some superyachts belonging to Russian billionaires are currently seeking refuge in the Maldives, including a yacht owned by billionaire Oleg Deripaska, Reuters reported.

The billionaire, who is also the founder of one of Russia's largest industrial groups, Basic Element, was added to the UK's sanctions list on March 10.

Also built by Lürssen, the superyacht - which is around 238 feet long - can accommodate 18 guests in nine cabins, per Superyacht Fan.

The superyacht Valerie - worth $140 million - was seized in Barcelona on Monday, Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, said on La Sexta television, per Reuters.  

Sanchez did not confirm the owner of the yacht, but two sources confirmed to Reuters that it belonged to Sergei Chemezov, who is said to be a close ally of Putin.

The oligarch, who was previously a KGB spy with Putin in the former Soviet Union, recently said that Russia would emerge victorious from Western sanctions, Reuters previously reported . 

Chemezov, who is the CEO of Russian defense conglomerate Rostec was added to the US sanctions list on March 3. 

His yacht is 279 feet long and can accommodate 17 guests in eight suites, per Superyacht Fan.

Crescent, most likely owned by Igor Sechin but also rumored to belong to Putin, was the third yacht Spain seized as the West ramps up sanctions, The Washington Post reported Thursday.

The superyacht is 443-feet long and costs an estimated $600 million, according to  SuperyachtFan, which also says the vessel hosts a retractable helicopter hangar and a large pool with a glass bottom.

Lady Anastasia

Lady Anastasia is owned by Russian oligarch Alexander Mikheyev but was seized by Spain on Tuesday, according to Reuters . 

The boat is almost 160 feet long and can hold up to 10 guests, according to Yacht Harbour .

Mikheyev, who was sanctioned by the EU, is the head of a helicopters division under Rostec, New York Mag reported .

• Main content

trending now in World News

How tech mogul's party to celebrate beating multi-billion fraud...

Rescue divers smash through hull of doomed Bayesian yacht -- but...

Mike Lynch's wife describes cutting her feet on broken glass as...

Chilling footage shows superyacht slowly disappearing from view...

Police raid Andrew Tate’s home in Romania as new allegations...

Suspected serial killer dubbed 'vampire' and linked to 42 murders...

Entrepreneur tied to missing tycoon Mike Lynch shares theory...

Archaeologists uncover stones in Israel matching road where...

Breaking news, ukraine attacks moscow in one of largest-ever drone attacks on russian capital as war intensifies.

MOSCOW – Ukraine attacked Moscow on Wednesday with at least 11 drones shot down by air defenses in what Russian officials said was one of the biggest drone strikes on the capital since the war in Ukraine began in February 2022.

The war, largely a grinding artillery and drone battle across the fields, forests and villages of eastern Ukraine, escalated on Aug. 6 when Ukraine sent thousands of soldiers into Russia’s western Kursk region.

For months, Ukraine has also fought an increasingly damaging drone war against the refineries and airfields of the world’s second-largest oil exporter, though major drone attacks on the Moscow region – with a population of over 21 million – are rarer.

Russia’s defense ministry said it destroyed a total of 45 drones over Russian territory, including 11 over the Moscow region, 23 over the border region of Bryansk, six over the Belgorod region, three over the Kaluga region and two over the Kursk region.

Some of the drones were destroyed over the city of Podolsk, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said. The city in the Moscow region is some 24 miles south of the Kremlin.

“This is one of the largest attempts to attack Moscow using drones ever,” Sobyanin said on the Telegram messaging app in the early hours of Wednesday.

“The layered defense of Moscow that was created made it possible to successfully repel all the attacks from the enemy UAVs.”

The attack comes as Russia is advancing in eastern Ukraine, where it controls about 18% of the territory, and battling to repel Ukraine’s incursion into the Kursk region, the biggest foreign attack on Russian territory since World War Two.

Russian media showed unverified footage of drones whirring over the dawn sky of the Moscow region and then being shot down in a ball of flame by air defenses.

Moscow’s airports Vnukovo, Domodedovo and Zhukovsky limited flights for four hours but were restarted normal operations from 3:30 a.m., Russia’s aviation watchdog said.

Sobyanin said that according to preliminary information, there were no injuries or damage reported in the aftermath of the attacks.

There were also no casualties or damage reported in the aftermath of the attack on Bryansk in Russia’s southwest, the governor of the region Alexander Bogomaz wrote on Telegram.

Start and end your day informed with our newsletters

Morning Report and Evening Update: Your source for today's top stories

Thanks for signing up!

Please provide a valid email address.

By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy .

Never miss a story.

Main sites of the Ukrainian counteroffensive

• Melitopol:  Kyiv’s forces continued advancing toward the city of Melitopol on the Sea of Azov in the south. If Ukraine were to claw back Melitopol, it could bring it closer to breaking through the Russia-held land corridor linking the annexed Crimean Peninsula to mainland Russia, splitting Moscow’s forces in two and cutting their supply lines.
• Zaporizhzhia:  Intense battles raged in the southeastern Zaporizhzhia region, where US officials said Kyiv has launched its “main thrust” aimed at retaking 20% of its occupied territory. While Moscow claimed to have repelled Ukraine’s attacks involving dozens of armored vehicles and inflicted heavy losses on Kyiv’s troops, the Institute for the Study of War reported that the Ukrainian offensive appeared to have broken through some Russian defenses.
• Donetsk:  Ukrainian troops on Thursday recaptured the strategically significant village of Staromaiorske located in the Donetsk region south of a cluster of settlements along the Mokri Yaly river that Kyiv had seized at the start of the counteroffensive. Control of the village could open the way for Ukraine to push southward toward the coast.
• Bakhmut:  Ukrainian forces were said to be “gradually moving forward” near Bakhmut in the east, where Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Malyar claimed Russians were dying at a rate eight times higher than Ukrainians. Geolocated footage showed that Kyiv’s troops have made gains south of the town of Klishchiivka, and additional fighting was reported near the settlements of Kudriumivka and Andriivka.

Russia’s RIA state news agency reported that two drones were destroyed over the Tula region, which borders the Moscow region to its north.

Vasily Golubev, governor of the Rostov region in Russia’s southwest, said air defense forces destroyed a Ukraine-launched missile over the region, with no injuries reported.

The Russia defense ministry did not mention neither Tula nor Rostov in its statement listing destroyed Ukrainian air weapons.

Ukraine’s military said on Wednesday it overnight struck an S-300 anti-aircraft missile system based in Rostov region.

Reuters could not independently verify the reports.

The drone attack on Moscow is on par with the May 2023 attack when at least  eight drones  were destroyed over the capital in an attack President Vladimir Putin said was Kyiv’s attempt to scare and provoke Russia.

In Kursk, Russian war bloggers said that intense battles were ongoing along the front in the region where Ukraine has carved out at least 450 square km (175 square miles) of Russian territory.

Advertisement

672 Wine Club

• Motorcycles
• Car of the Month
• Destinations
• Men’s Fashion
• Watch Collector
• Art & Collectibles
• Vacation Homes
• Celebrity Homes
• New Construction
• Home Design
• Electronics
• Fine Dining
• Benchmark Wines
• Brian Fox Art
• Disneyland Resort
• Gateway Bronco
• Royal Salute
• Sports & Leisure
• Health & Wellness
• Best of the Best
• The Ultimate Gift Guide

Want to See America’s Cup Racing Up Close? These 9 Yacht Charters Let You Watch From the Water

Options range from 200-foot-plus superyachts with side trips to ibiza to intimate sailing vessels catered by michelin-starred chefs. let the races begin., jemima sissons, jemima sissons's most recent stories.

• Beloved Italian Perfumer Santa Maria Novella Just Dropped Its First Eau de Parfum in 800 Years
• How This French Ski Parka Became a Downtown Darling of the Finance Set
• New Luxury Cruise Liners Will Be Powered by Giant Solid Sails
• Share This Article

Next week, when the 37 th Louis Vuitton America’s Cup kicks off in Barcelona with its opening ceremony, the contest that began in 1851 with a race around the Isle of Wight between the fastest British and American sloops (the yacht America won handily) will come back to Europe for the first time in 14 years.

The move to the Catalan capital from the 2021 event in New Zealand will make it more accessible to sailing fans in Europe, and even North Americans who want to view the fast, technical AC75 foiling boats in person. Barcelona has been preparing itself for a surge of spectators for the “return” of the Cup, which was held twice in Valencia, Spain, in the aughts.

The America’s Cup may be billed as “the race with no second place,” but it takes three months of racing and four events for one of five Challenger teams to win the Louis Vuitton Cup, and that winner will race Defender Emirates Team New Zealand in the America’s Cup final. The racing runs from August through October, and this year includes a first-time all-women’s America’s Cup as well as an event for the world’s best youth sailors.

Having Barcelona as a venue was a smart move, partly for the gorgeous beaches fronting the race course on the Med. But there is also the city’s magnificent architecture and sense of history as well as vibrant arts, culture and, of course, no shortage of Michelin-starred restaurants.

There are many five-star hotels in the area, but the smartest and most thrilling way to see racing is by water. The vessel options are wide-ranging—from weeklong superyacht charters to luxury suites on a cruise ships to day trips on sailboats with Michelin-starred cuisine. Many can be combined with on-land stays and even cruises to other parts of Spain as part of the itineraries.

One important note: Four zones adjoining the race course allow spectator boats. Before chartering a vessel, be sure to find out which zone the boat will operate in, because that impacts how close you are to the racing.

Here are 9 options to suit the most avid Cup aficionados or those visiting Barcelona who want to sip champagne and watch the AC75 foiling boats battle it out.

Superyacht ‘Resilience’

Edmiston is offering charters aboard the 212-foot Resilience during the America’s Cup. The ISA-built superyacht, designed by Enrico Gobbi, features a mosaic-tiled pool, circular fire pit and a BBQ for a ringside lunch. Post-race pampering comes via the steam room, sundeck jacuzzi and gym, and there’s even a self-playing Edelweiss piano and projector for evening entertainment. The vessel sleeps 12 across seven cabins. From September 16, weekly charters start at about $645,000 (€600,000).

Explora Journeys

The soon-to-be-launched Explora II looks very much like its sistership, the Explora I : onyx finishes, self-playing Steinways, on-deck Technogym bikes, a spa with a Himalayan salt room, Dunhill cigar den and a wine cellar boasting decades-old Chateau Latour. With 461 luxury suites, how was the Explora II chosen to become an America’s Cup viewing platform? The idea came from the top down. 

“I love sailing and believe the Med is the most beautiful sea on earth,” Pierfrancesco Vago, executive chairman of the cruise division of MSC Group, told Robb Report during a visit aboard Explora I in Barcelona. “We thought if only our customers could also experience [the America’s Cup], we can call it the ocean state of mind.” 

Explora II launches in mid-September, with itineraries planned to coincide with the different Cup events. On October 6, the vessel will be in port for the Louis Vuitton Cup Final and Puig Women’s Races. Guests can take a walk to the official race village and experience its excitement before watching the races from their suites. A 10-night journey starts from $5,210 per guest.

The Almanac Sailing Experience

Barcelona’s Almanac hotel has a romantic-gastronomic experience that offers guests front-row seats on a Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 45 sailboat with a capacity for 10 guests. Besides the racing, the package includes two nights at the hotel. The boat comes with the hotel’s branded slippers and Jimmy Boyd bespoke amenities. Enjoy a selection of customized Cava Bellinis from the pop-up bar. Chefs from the hotels’ restaurant will also serve up shrimp salad and fennel ceviche paired with organic Spanish wines. The boat can be chartered every Saturday from August 31 to October 26. The Louis Vuitton Cup round-robin starts on August 29 and lasts through Sept. 8. There’s also the Puig Women’s Race (first all-female America’s Cup in its 171-year history) and, of course, the America’s Cup finals in October. Prices start at $2,940 per couple. 

Superyacht ‘C’

For a majestic week-long cruise that incorporates America’s Cup summer races and possible side itineraries in Costa Dorada, Sitges and Formentera, Camper & Nicholsons’ expansive 177-ft C is the flashy option, defined by Minotti furniture, lacquered panels and a hamman. It also sleeps 12 in six cabins that feature a master and two VIP suites. Its chase boat also offers a great opportunity for side trips. Weekly charters from Sept. 18-October 31 run from about $513,000 or €400,000.

Sailing Yacht ‘Imagine’

UK adventure specialists Pelorus offer a private seat on an elegant sailing boat seeped in America’s Cup history. Built in New Zealand by Alloy Yachts, Imagine is a 110-footer that served as an official viewing platform for the America’s Cup in Auckland, but it has also completed three global circumnavigations. Beyond its sailing chops, it’s a beautiful vessel, with a blonde, teak-lined deck, large salon and dining area, and three cabins for sleeping seven guests. It will be available from October 12 for the America’s Cup final. Pelorus is also offering to bookend the week with trips to Majorca and Ibiza. About $101,000 (£79,121)

Superyacht ‘Diane’

Also available from Edmiston, the 141-ft Diane can accommodate 10 guests in five staterooms for the week. The interior is all about soft hues, featuring cream leather and white marble, boasting a bar and plenty of outdoor seating for watching the races. For the non-race legs, guests can take to the water via the large beach club, complete with seabobs and wakeboards. It has a Balearics license, making a hop to Ibiza or Majorca a possibility. Weekly charter rates from September 23 run about $150,000 per week (€140,000)

Black Tomato Cup Package

Incorporating a city-stay, Black Tomato’s America’s Cup getaway includes a day’s private day charter to view the race, plus five nights at the Mandarin Oriental as well as visiting the regatta course and different bases of the America’s Cup teams for an insider’s look at the operations and technology. As a dayboat, its Bali Yacht Saxador 400 GTO can accommodate 11 guests. It sets sail from Port Olympic, giving guests a sweeping view of the city on one side and the regatta course on the other. The boat has access to the blue area (for preferred charter boats) on the front line. From $12,750 per person, based on two people.

Superyacht ‘Quasar’

Camper & Nicholsons recently introduced the 153-foot Quasar to the charter market and what a great way to end the Med season than by viewing the America’s Cup. It has six cabins (including two master suites) that can accommodate 12 guests, along excellent outdoor seating, an upper salon that joins the aft deck area for viewing the races or dining al-fresco. The beach club has a large selection of water toys. Visits to scenic Med ports around Barcelona are also possible on the week’s charter, which start at about $232,000 (€210,000).  

Superyacht ‘Kiawah’

For front row seats on day charters in the blue zone (the third-closest area to the races), official charter partner ac37 Sailcharters offers different types of vessels and packages. The 110-foot Kiawah features a cocktail lunch on board, a specialized lecture from an expert sailor, and an AV system to follow the race in real time. From August 22 through October 11, daily rates are about $34,000 (€30,800) and during the America’s Cup finals October 12-27, rates move to about $41,000 (€37,400).

Read More On:

• America's Cup
• Louis Vuitton

More Marine

Tech Mogul Mike Lynch and 5 Others Are Missing After a Yacht Sinks in Italy

A Fleet of Candela’s Electric Foiling Yachts Is Rolling Out to the Red Sea in 2025

This New 116-Foot Pocket Explorer Will Make Larger Expedition Yachts Jealous

Meet Zephyr, a Giant 378-Foot Megayacht With Not One But Two Pools

Meet the Wine Club That Thinks Differently.

Receive editor-curated reds from boutique California producers four times a year.

Give the Gift of Luxury

Latest Galleries in Marine

12 Must-See Yacht Debuts at This Year’s Cannes Fest

11 Fascinating Facts About Tankoa’s Library-Quiet 169-Foot Project Secret

More from our brands, why korea’s beauty scene is taking over the world — again, nfl’s potential pe partners just getting started in sports, victoria beckham gets her own docuseries at netflix, court documents show christie’s fighting back against us-china trade war, the best yoga mats for any practice, according to instructors.

Inside Russian town of Sudzha which is under Ukrainian control

Last week, Ukraine launched a surprise invasion of Kursk. On Thursday Volodymyr Zelenksyy said his troops had captured the town of Sudzha in the region.

Saturday 17 August 2024 10:07, UK

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Is Moscow worried about drone attack?

Divers continue search where yacht sank

Baby rescued after being stranded on island

Volunteers help Russians near Ukrainian border

Moments before superyacht capsizes

Will Ukraine's Kursk gamble pay off?

IDF says it struck Hezbollah building

IDF hostage body recovery op

'Time is of the essence'

Waterspout off Greek coast

Man caught with 121 stolen phones

Yacht sank 'in two minutes'

Blue Moon spotted across the world

• Share full article

Advertisement

Morning Briefing: Europe Edition

Wednesday briefing.

The second night of the Democratic National Convention.

By Natasha Frost

🇺🇸 U.S. ELECTION 2024

The presidential election is less than 80 days away. This is what we’re watching.

Harris rallies Democrats on Day 2 of the convention

The lineup of speakers on the second night of the Democratic National Convention featured Barack Obama, and the nominee herself, Vice President Kamala Harris, made a video appearance. A jubilant crowd danced in the aisles and cheered as Republicans who’d disavowed Donald Trump announced their support for Harris. Here’s the latest .

Harris and Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota, her running mate, were rallying supporters at the site of last month’s Republican convention in Milwaukee, in the swing state of Wisconsin. “This is a people-powered campaign,” she said, appearing on screens throughout the Chicago arena. “And together we will chart a new way forward.”

In a show of unity, the speakers last night included Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, eight years after hundreds of his supporters stormed out of the Democratic convention in Philadelphia to protest Hillary Clinton’s nomination after a bruising primary contest.

Republican counterprogramming : Trump spoke about crime and public safety in Howell, Mich., about an hour northwest of Detroit. His choice of location — a city whose past involves white supremacy and activity by the Ku Klux Klan — drew criticism from the Harris campaign.

More highlights:

President Biden was greeted on Monday with chants of “Thank you, Joe!” in honor of his lifetime of public service. But the crowd was also thanking him for not running again .

Harris supported Obama in 2008 when Hillary Clinton was dominating the Democratic primary race. It was a political risk that he never forgot .

Harris’s appearance onstage Monday was a surprise for two reasons. One was her suit. Our fashion critic explains .

Do you have questions about the election? Send them to us, and we’ll find the answers .

Stay up to date: Live coverage | Poll tracker | The “Run-Up” podcast | On Politics newsletter

Obstacles remain in Gaza cease-fire proposal

The latest U.S.-backed proposal for a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip, which Israel has accepted and Hamas so far has not, leaves major disagreements between them unresolved , officials said. Negotiations are expected to continue this week, a U.S. official said.

Hamas said yesterday that it was eager to reach a cease-fire but that the latest American proposal was “a reversal” from what it had agreed to in early July.

While many details of the plan remained unclear, at least parts of the American proposal appeared to conform to demands added by Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, in late July, officials said, such as Israeli troops continuing to patrol Gaza’s border with Egypt, albeit in reduced numbers.

Recovery efforts: Israeli forces said they had retrieved the bodies of six Israeli hostages from tunnels in southern Gaza.

The latest news:

Two Israeli strikes yesterday, one on a school building in Gaza City, killed at least 19 people , the Palestinian emergency services said.

An Iranian military official said that retaliation against Israel over the killing of a Hamas leader in Tehran may be long in coming and could take any number of forms, suggesting that an attack may have been placed on hold.

Zelensky called for an end to the West’s ‘red lines’

Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, is trying to use his military’s surprise incursion into Russia to convince allies to lift restrictions on its use of Western-supplied long-range weapons .

Ukraine’s assault showed that the West’s fears about the ramifications of attacks on Russian territory were unfounded and should be abandoned, he said. “The whole naïve, illusory concept of so-called red lines regarding Russia, which dominated the assessment of the war by some partners, has crumbled,” he said in a speech published on Monday.

Moscow’s faltering response to Kyiv’s offensive should signal to the world that Russia is not the fearsome superpower it once seemed to be, he said. “It is the time when the world is shedding its last and very naïve illusions about Russia,” he said.

Background: For more than two years, Washington has denied Ukraine permission to strike into Russia using the weapons it supplies, citing fears of an escalating conflict between Moscow and the West. This spring, after months of Ukrainian lobbying, the U.S. and other NATO countries adjusted their policies and allowed it to do so.

Women stepping up: In Ukraine, Russia’s war is reshaping the labor market , as jobs long dominated by men have been left vacant by soldiers sent off to war.

Other news: Ukraine’s Parliament passed a bill creating a legal path to ban a Russian-aligned branch of the Orthodox church.

MORE TOP NEWS

Italy: Deep-sea divers resumed their search for six passengers — including a British software mogul and his daughter — who were missing after a yacht sank off the coast .

U.S. nuclear strategy: President Biden approved a highly classified nuclear plan in March that reorients America’s deterrent strategy to focus on the rapid expansion of China’s nuclear arsenal .

Electric vehicles: The E.U. yesterday proposed charging Tesla an additional tariff of 9 percent on its vehicles imported from China. Other automakers face rates as high as 36.3 percent .

Boeing: The airplane maker said it had paused test flights of the 777-9 , a large plane whose development was already delayed, after discovering problems with a key part.

Weather: Tropical Depression Jongdari moved toward South Korea , threatening to buffet the country with heavy rain and strong winds.

Pakistan: Internet speeds have slowed to a crawl, fueling fears that the authorities are introducing technology to surveil and control online behavior .

Kenya: The authorities are searching for a man who escaped from custody after being accused of killing scores of women.

Mexico: Federal judges voted to go on strike, protesting President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s proposed overhaul of the judicial system.

Rescue mission: A woman was rescued in the Colorado mountains, where she had been on a guided spiritual “quest” in which participants had been encouraged to fast and discouraged from bringing cellphones.

SPORTS NEWS

Tennis: Jannik Sinner has received an antidoping sanction after testing positive twice for a banned substance.

Soccer: Chelsea is set to complete the signing of João Félix from Atlético Madrid.

Golf: The most intriguing PGA Tour players ahead of the BMW Championship .

MORNING READ

This summer, thousands of local protesters in Barcelona denounced overtourism. Still more crowds are expected for the America’s Cup, an international sailing competition.

Barcelona now finds itself limiting some kinds of tourism while encouraging others, in a complicated balancing act . But according to the deputy mayor responsible for tourism, Jordi Valls, the city has no choice. “The demand is unstoppable,” he said. “The only thing we can do is control the supply.”

Lives lived: Maria Branyas Morera, an American-born Spanish woman believed to be the oldest person in the world , has died at 117.

CONVERSATION STARTERS

Flipping the script: A U.S. law protects social media companies from liability. One professor thinks he can use that law to restrain their power .

“Plant messiah”: Carlos Magdalena risks his own extinction to rescue the rarest flowers .

My voice on T: A transgender music critic explored the change in their singing voice after taking testosterone .

ARTS AND IDEAS

The world’s most prestigious classical music festival.

Since its founding more than 100 years ago, the Salzburg Festival has been known as a gathering place for the world’s finest musicians. That’s still true, but the event is now also a proving ground for artists on the cusp on stardom. Our classical music critic Joshua Barone went to the festival to see who would break through this year.

One standout: Robert Carsen’s new staging of Mozart’s “La Clemenza di Tito,” which transports the opera’s ancient Roman tale to the present. With echoes of Giorgia Meloni’s Italy and the riot at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, the production is a lesbian political thriller in which Annio is a young woman, sweetly sung by the Israeli mezzo-soprano Anna Tetruashvili. Read Joshua’s other picks .

For more: In Scotland, two different shows at the Edinburgh Fringe make fun of Gwyneth Paltrow’s ski trial — and one of them is a triumph .

RECOMMENDATIONS

Bake: This big, bold Bundt cake goes heavy on the lemon for an extra-puckery bite.

Listen: In the latest in our series of conversations with authors, Jennifer Egan looks back at “ A Visit From the Goon Squad .”

Watch: “Lousy Carter” is one of our favorite under-the-radar movies to stream this month .

Compete: Take this week’s Flashback history quiz .

Play the Spelling Bee . And here are today’s Mini Crossword and Wordle . You can find all our puzzles here .

That’s it for today’s briefing. See you next time. — Natasha

Reach Natasha and the team at [email protected] .

Natasha Frost writes The Times’s weekday newsletter The Europe Morning Briefing. More about Natasha Frost