super yacht scheherazade

• Work & Careers
• Life & Arts

Become an FT subscriber

Try unlimited access only $1 for 4 weeks.

Then $75 per month. Complete digital access to quality FT journalism on any device. Cancel anytime during your trial.

• Global news & analysis
• Expert opinion
• Special features
• FirstFT newsletter
• Videos & Podcasts
• Android & iOS app
• FT Edit app
• 10 gift articles per month

Explore more offers.

Standard digital.

• FT Digital Edition

Premium Digital

Print + premium digital, ft professional, weekend print + standard digital, weekend print + premium digital.

Essential digital access to quality FT journalism on any device. Pay a year upfront and save 20%.

• Global news & analysis
• Exclusive FT analysis
• FT App on Android & iOS
• FirstFT: the day's biggest stories
• 20+ curated newsletters
• Follow topics & set alerts with myFT
• FT Videos & Podcasts
• 20 monthly gift articles to share
• Lex: FT's flagship investment column
• 15+ Premium newsletters by leading experts
• FT Digital Edition: our digitised print edition
• Weekday Print Edition
• Videos & Podcasts
• Premium newsletters
• 10 additional gift articles per month
• FT Weekend Print delivery
• Everything in Standard Digital
• Everything in Premium Digital

Complete digital access to quality FT journalism with expert analysis from industry leaders. Pay a year upfront and save 20%.

• 10 monthly gift articles to share
• Everything in Print
• Make and share highlights
• FT Workspace
• Markets data widget
• Subscription Manager
• Workflow integrations
• Occasional readers go free
• Volume discount

Terms & Conditions apply

Explore our full range of subscriptions.

Why the ft.

See why over a million readers pay to read the Financial Times.

International Edition

• UK Politics
• News Videos
• Paris 2024 Olympics
• Rugby Union
• Sport Videos
• John Rentoul
• Mary Dejevsky
• Andrew Grice
• Sean O’Grady
• Photography
• Theatre & Dance
• Culture Videos
• Fitness & Wellbeing
• Food & Drink
• Health & Families
• Royal Family
• Electric Vehicles
• Car Insurance Deals
• Lifestyle Videos
• UK Hotel Reviews
• News & Advice
• Simon Calder
• Australia & New Zealand
• South America
• C. America & Caribbean
• Middle East
• Politics Explained
• News Analysis
• Today’s Edition
• Home & Garden
• Broadband deals
• Fashion & Beauty
• Travel & Outdoors
• Sports & Fitness
• Sustainable Living
• Climate Videos
• Solar Panels
• Behind The Headlines
• On The Ground
• Decomplicated
• You Ask The Questions
• Binge Watch
• Travel Smart
• Watch on your TV
• Crosswords & Puzzles
• Most Commented
• Newsletters
• Ask Me Anything
• Virtual Events
• Betting Sites
• Online Casinos
• Wine Offers

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in Please refresh your browser to be logged in

Scheherazade: Giant £570m superyacht ‘owned by Vladimir Putin’ is seized by Italian authorities

The ‘scheherazade’ had been undergoing a refit in tuscany since last september, article bookmarked.

Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails

Sign up to our free breaking news emails.

The Italian government has seized a luxury superyacht worth an estimated £570m that is believed to be linked to Russian president Vladimir Putin .

The vessel was impounded as part of the EU’s sanctions against Russia for its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine , under which similar yachts belonging to Russian oligarchs have been confiscated.

The six-deck Scheherazade had been undergoing repairs in the port of Marina di Carrara in Tuscany since last September. Recent activity at the dockside suggested that the crew were preparing to put the yacht to sea, as calls grew for it to be included in the sanctions.

The Italian finance ministry said in a statement that the owner of the yacht had ties to “prominent elements of the Russian government”, without naming them. US officials have previously told The New York Times that the vessel could belong to Mr Putin, though there has been no official confirmation of this.

Supporters of the imprisoned Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny were also of the belief that the vessel belonged to the Russian president. In a report released in March , an organisation set up by Mr Navalny said it had evidence that the boat belonged to Mr Putin, as several crew members were drawn from Russia’s Federal Protective Service (FSO), which is tasked with protecting the president.

In March, the ship’s British captain, Guy Bennett-Pearce, denied that Mr Putin had ever owned or set foot on the Scheherezade . “I have never seen him. I have never met him,” he told the The New York Times .

Days later, Mr Bennett-Pearce said he had been left with “no choice” but to reveal the owner’s identity to the Italian police, adding: “I have no doubt in my mind whatsoever that this will clear the vessel of all negative rumours and speculations.”

Police boarded the yacht – which is over 450ft long and has two helicopter landing pads – late on Friday to execute the order, the government said.

Officials said they had struggled to identify the real owner of the boat, as it is registered in the Cayman Islands and was built by the German firm Lürssen. The yacht was delivered to its owner in 2020 and can host up to 18 guests and 40 crew, Reuters reported.

Italian authorities said the owner was not on any sanctions lists drawn up by Brussels since Mr Putin’s declaration of war on 24 February, although Rome has asked Brussels to rectify this.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, while addressing the Italian parliament in March, urged the government to impound the yacht as part of the EU’s efforts to put pressure on Mr Putin.

Italy confiscated yachts and villas worth over £770m in March and April from Russian billionaires with close ties to Mr Putin, in a bid to hurt Moscow financially.

Earlier in March, Italy seized a £530m megayacht owned by Russian billionaire Andrey Melnichenko, as oligarchs around the world scrambled to save their yachts and other luxury assets from western governments.

And in April the German authorities seized the world’s largest superyacht, Dilbar , sprawling over 512ft, which belonged to billionaire Alisher Usmanov before he transferred its ownership to his sister.

The Independent has a proud history of campaigning for the rights of the most vulnerable, and we first ran our Refugees Welcome campaign during the war in Syria in 2015. Now, as we renew our campaign and launch this petition in the wake of the unfolding Ukrainian crisis, we are calling on the government to go further and faster to ensure help is delivered. To find out more about our Refugees Welcome campaign, click here .

To sign the petition click here . If you would like to donate then please click here for our GoFundMe page.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

The global authority in superyachting

• NEWSLETTERS
• Yachts Home
• The Superyacht Directory
• Yacht Reports
• Brokerage News
• The largest yachts in the world
• The Register
• Yacht Advice
• Yacht Design
• 12m to 24m yachts
• Monaco Yacht Show
• Builder Directory
• Designer Directory
• Interior Design Directory
• Naval Architect Directory
• Yachts for sale home
• Motor yachts
• Sailing yachts
• Explorer yachts
• Classic yachts
• Sale Broker Directory
• Charter Home
• Yachts for Charter
• Charter Destinations
• Charter Broker Directory
• Destinations Home
• Mediterranean
• South Pacific
• Rest of the World
• Boat Life Home
• Owners' Experiences
• Interiors Suppliers
• Owners' Club
• Captains' Club
• BOAT Showcase
• Boat Presents
• Events Home
• World Superyacht Awards
• Superyacht Design Festival
• Design and Innovation Awards
• Young Designer of the Year Award
• Artistry and Craft Awards
• Explorer Yachts Summit
• Ocean Talks
• The Ocean Awards
• BOAT Connect
• Between the bays
• Golf Invitational
• Boat Pro Home
• Superyacht Insight
• Global Order Book
• Premium Content
• Product Features
• Testimonials
• Pricing Plan
• Tenders & Equipment

SCHEHERAZADE

SCHEHERAZADE is a 140.0 m Motor Yacht, built in Germany by Lurssen and delivered in 2020.

Her power comes from two MTU diesel engines. She has a gross tonnage of 10167.0 GT and a 23.3 m beam.

The naval architecture was developed by Lurssen , who has architected 71 other superyachts in the BOAT Pro database - she is built with a Teak deck, a Steel hull, and Aluminium superstructure.

SCHEHERAZADE is in the top 5% by LOA in the world. She is one of 70 motor yachts longer than 100m, and, compared to similarly sized motor yachts, her volume is 3038.29 GT above the average.

SCHEHERAZADE is registered under the Cayman Islands flag, the 2nd most popular flag state for superyachts with a total of 1404 yachts registered

Specifications

• Name: SCHEHERAZADE
• Previous Names: PROJECT LIGHTNING
• Yacht Type: Motor Yacht
• Yacht Subtype: Displacement
• Builder: Lurssen
• Naval Architect: Lurssen
• Refits: 2021

Yacht featured in

Yachts like this, from our partners, sponsored listings.

Please use a modern browser to view this website. Some elements might not work as expected when using Internet Explorer.

• Landing Page
• Luxury Yacht Vacation Types
• Corporate Yacht Charter
• Tailor Made Vacations
• Luxury Exploration Vacations
• View All 3650
• Motor Yachts
• Sailing Yachts
• Classic Yachts
• Catamaran Yachts
• Filter By Destination
• More Filters
• Latest Reviews
• Charter Special Offers
• Destination Guides
• Inspiration & Features
• Mediterranean Charter Yachts
• France Charter Yachts
• Italy Charter Yachts
• Croatia Charter Yachts
• Greece Charter Yachts
• Turkey Charter Yachts
• Bahamas Charter Yachts
• Caribbean Charter Yachts
• Australia Charter Yachts
• Thailand Charter Yachts
• Dubai Charter Yachts
• Destination News
• New To Fleet
• Charter Fleet Updates
• Special Offers
• Industry News
• Yacht Shows
• Corporate Charter
• Finding a Yacht Broker
• Charter Preferences
• Questions & Answers
• Add my yacht

NOT FOR CHARTER *

This Yacht is not for Charter*

SIMILAR YACHTS FOR CHARTER

View Similar Yachts

Or View All luxury yachts for charter

• Luxury Charter Yachts
• Motor Yachts for Charter

Scheherazade

• Amenities & Toys

SCHEHERAZADE yacht NOT for charter*

142m  /  465'11 | lurssen | 2020 / 2024.

Owner & Guests

• Previous Yacht

Special Features:

• Elevator for convenient access
• Well-appointed wellness zone, including spa, beach club and beauty salon
• Recent refit in 2024
• State-of-the-art cinema
• DNV (Det Norske Veritas) classification

The 142m/465'11" motor yacht 'Scheherazade' was built by Lurssen in Germany at their Vegesack shipyard and she was delivered to her owner in June 2020. This luxury vessel's exterior design is the work of Espen Oeino and she was last refitted in 2024.

Guest Accommodation

Scheherazade has been designed to comfortably accommodate up to 18 guests in 9 suites. She is also capable of carrying up to 40 crew onboard to ensure a relaxed luxury yacht experience.

Onboard Comfort & Entertainment

Her features include a beauty salon, movie theatre, spa, elevator, underwater lights, beach club, gym and air conditioning.

Range & Performance

Scheherazade is built with a steel hull and aluminium superstructure, with teak decks. Powered by twin diesel MTU (20V 1163 M84) 20-cylinder 8,837hp engines running at 1280rpm, she comfortably cruises at 15 knots, reaches a maximum speed of 20 knots. Scheherazade features at-anchor stabilizers providing exceptional comfort levels. Her water tanks store around 110,000 Litres of fresh water. She was built to DNV (Det Norske Veritas) classification society rules.

*Charter Scheherazade Motor Yacht

Motor yacht Scheherazade is currently not believed to be available for private Charter. To view similar yachts for charter , or contact your Yacht Charter Broker for information about renting a luxury charter yacht.

Scheherazade Yacht Owner, Captain or marketing company

'Yacht Charter Fleet' is a free information service, if your yacht is available for charter please contact us with details and photos and we will update our records.

Scheherazade Photos

Scheherazade Awards & Nominations

• World Yachts Trophies 2020 Yacht of the Year Nomination

NOTE to U.S. Customs & Border Protection

Specification

M/Y Scheherazade

SIMILAR LUXURY YACHTS FOR CHARTER

Here are a selection of superyachts which are similar to Scheherazade yacht which are believed to be available for charter. To view all similar luxury charter yachts click on the button below.

115m | Lurssen

from $2,787,000 p/week ♦︎

92m | Feadship

from $1,500,000 p/week

Carinthia VII

97m | Lurssen

from $1,502,000 p/week ♦︎

95m | Lurssen

from $1,718,000 p/week ♦︎

107m | Olympic Yacht Services

from $2,147,000 p/week ♦︎

97m | Feadship

from $1,716,000 p/week ♦︎

136m | Lurssen

from $4,288,000 p/week ♦︎

108m | Benetti

from $1,934,000 p/week ♦︎

122m | Lurssen

from $3,000,000 p/week

93m | Feadship

from $1,501,000 p/week ♦︎

O'Pari

95m | Golden Yachts

from $1,179,000 p/week ♦︎

92m | Neorion

from $1,061,000 p/week ♦︎

As Featured In

The YachtCharterFleet Difference

YachtCharterFleet makes it easy to find the yacht charter vacation that is right for you. We combine thousands of yacht listings with local destination information, sample itineraries and experiences to deliver the world's most comprehensive yacht charter website.

San Francisco

• Like us on Facebook
• Follow us on Twitter
• Follow us on Instagram
• Find us on LinkedIn
• Add My Yacht
• Affiliates & Partners

Popular Destinations & Events

• St Tropez Yacht Charter
• Monaco Yacht Charter
• St Barts Yacht Charter
• Greece Yacht Charter
• Mykonos Yacht Charter
• Caribbean Yacht Charter

Featured Charter Yachts

• Maltese Falcon Yacht Charter
• Wheels Yacht Charter
• Victorious Yacht Charter
• Andrea Yacht Charter
• Titania Yacht Charter
• Ahpo Yacht Charter

Receive our latest offers, trends and stories direct to your inbox.

Please enter a valid e-mail.

Thanks for subscribing.

Search for Yachts, Destinations, Events, News... everything related to Luxury Yachts for Charter.

Yachts in your shortlist

News | World

Scheherazade: The £500m superyacht in Tuscan port ‘linked to Putin’

The stunning Tuscan port of Marina di Carrara has long been the parking spot of choice for the global elite’s superyachts but there is one vessel that stands out leaving all others in its shade.

The Scheherazade, said to be worth $700m (£528m), complete with two helipads a spa and a swimming pool that can transform into a dancefloor, is under investigation by Italian authorities for potential links to sanctioned Russians - with speculation mounting it could belong to President Putin himself.

The Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky used an address in Italian Parliament on Tuesday to namecheck the Scheherazade and urged politicians to seize the yacht and freeze the assets of sanctioned Russians.

“Don’t be a resort for murderers,” he begged. “Lock all their real estate, accounts and yachts – from the Scheherazade to the smallest ones.”

The Scheherazade contains gold plated toilets and bathroom fittings, a cryotherapy chamber in the spa and six-deck floors - described as being like two apartment blocks stacked on top of each other.

On the upper deck, as former deckhands tol d jailed Russian opposition politician Aleksei Navalny ’s team, there is a giant living room, dining room, two VIP cabins and a mechanical piano, which plays itself.

The tune is said to be from a famous 2014 song titled ‘Vladimir Putin is a Fine Fellow’.

It flies under the flag of the Cayman Islands, according to the tracking service Marine Traffic , and has been moored in Marina di Carrara since early September after arriving from Montenegro across the Mediterranean.

But even the superyacht ’s British captain Guy Bennett-Pearce’s denials that Putin has anything to do with the luxury vessel, one of the most expensive of its kind in the world, hasn’t dampened down speculation amongst locals and dock workers.

He told The New York Times : “I have never seen him. I have never met him.”

Mr Bennett-Pearce told the publication he could not give further details because of a “watertight” non-disclosure agreement but he insisted the owner was not on any sanctions list.

Duchess of Sussex unveils new lifestyle brand American Riviera Orchard

Search called off for missing Swiss skier after mountain tragedy

Tapeworm eggs found in brain of man with penchant for 'soft, non-crispy' bacon

Meet the fitness influencer defying stereotypes about ageing

The team of jailed Russian opposition politician Aleksei Navalny said in a video on its YouTube channel on March 21 that all crew members, except the captain, are Russian citizens, and many of them are employed by the Federal Protection Service (FSO), the agency responsible for Putin’s personal security.

According to Navalny’s team, the 140-metre long superyacht was made in Germany in 2020.

According to the New York Times, the yacht travelled to the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi twice, once in 2020 and again in 2021. It is known that Putin regularly visits his residence in Sochi.

If the yacht’s connection to Putin is proven, it will be impounded, as Putin is currently under sanctions from the European Union over Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

The name Scheherazade is a girl’s name of Arabic origin meaning “noble lineage“.

Scheherazade - or Sheherazade -is also the name of a legendary Persian queen immortalised as the narrator the One Thousand and One Nights stories that include Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves and Aladdin and the Magic Lamp.

Create a FREE account to continue reading

Registration is a free and easy way to support our journalism.

Join our community where you can: comment on stories; sign up to newsletters; enter competitions and access content on our app.

Your email address

Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account

* Required fields

Already have an account? SIGN IN

By clicking Create Account you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use , Cookie policy and Privacy policy .

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in

The Scheherazade superyacht comes with 1,001 tales of mystery

Many whisper that it is owned by Vladimir Putin, but not even super-sleuths have been able to verify that

You can save this article by registering for free here . Or sign-in if you have an account.

Article content

Reports claim it is the world’s most expensive yacht whose owner has not been publicly identified.

An anti-corruption unit working for Alexei Navalny, the jailed opposition leader, says the $825-million Scheherazade — launched in 2020 under the Cayman Islands flag, with ownership registered in the Marshall Islands — is secretly owned by Russia’s president.

Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.

• Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.
• Unlimited online access to National Post and 15 news sites with one account.
• National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.
• Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.
• Support local journalism.

Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.

• Access articles from across Canada with one account.
• Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.
• Enjoy additional articles per month.
• Get email updates from your favourite authors.

Don't have an account? Create Account

The yacht has been in for maintenance and repairs since October 2020 in Porta di Carrara, 55 kilometres north of Pisa, Italy, where federal authorities are now under pressure to seize it and investigate any links to Vladimir Putin.

In a speech to the Italian parliament Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged the government to seize the vessel. “Don’t be a resort for murderers,” he urged. “Block all their real estate, accounts and yachts … seize their accounts, their yachts, from Scheherezade to the smallest one.”

This is a video by the Navalny-founded anti-corruption FBK Investigation Department explaining their research, with English sub-titles.

Get a dash of perspective along with the trending news of the day in a very readable format.

• There was an error, please provide a valid email address.

By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.

A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.

The next issue of NP Posted will soon be in your inbox.

We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again

“One thing really stands out,” notes a tweet from Maria Pevchick. The head of FBK has found some striking details — not via the ship’s ownership records but by who manages it and pays its bills.

The list of employees from the captain to security deckhands “almost entirely consists of Russians. Russian passports are not the only thing they have in common. They also work for the FSO, the Federal Protective Service of the Russian Federation,” Pevchick says.

FSO is a militarised state agency responsible for the security and wellbeing of Vladimir Putin personally. They provide physical protection, acting as bodyguards, security officers etc. However their mandate is much wider. pic.twitter.com/XXIMp7rOMC — Maria Pevchikh (@pevchikh) March 21, 2022

“We managed to identify at least 10 FSO officers that are listed as personnel members of Scheherezade,” Pevchikh says. “They are Russian state employees, military personnel, and they regularly travel to Italy as a group to work on the mysterious yacht.”

The Navalny group also claimed it had identified about a dozen of the crew who were registered at the official address of the Russian Federal Security Service at his Black Sea residence near Sochi.

The British captain, Guy Bennett-Pearce told the New York Times earlier this month that the ship was owned by a Russian but that he did not believe it was Putin: “I have never seen him. I have never met him.” He would not say more, owing to a “watertight nondisclosure agreement.”

But the Times said it had spoken to a former crew member who claimed that Russians replaced the international crew when the “boss” was on board. The Scheherazade had sailed to the Black Sea over the past two summers.

The ship has six decks, two heli-decks, a swimming pool with a retractable roof that converts into a dance floor, gold-plated bathroom fixtures and has room for 18 guests in nine luxury cabins in addition to a crew of 40, residing in 20 cabins.

An ex-worker told the U.K.’s Sun that “there is even a hospital, which makes sense when you hear rumours of Putin being terminally ill.”

The Daily Mail notes that the Italian Sea Group, which owns the yard at which the Scheherazade is docked, has denied Putin is the owner but some information may emerge on Thursday when the company presents its financial results. The newspaper has published photos of the ship’s lavish interior.

The name Scheherazade is taken from the female storyteller in the medieval Middle Eastern tale One Thousand and One Nights — ironic, given its theme is about morals and ethics — and is also the name of the tale-based symphony by Russian composer Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov.

— with additional reporting by National Post News Services

Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark nationalpost.com and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here .

Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information.

'Stop these criminals from destroying people' says suicide note after victim kills accused Toronto fraudsters

Trudeau’s future is tied to the vote of a rich toronto neighbourhood, amy hamm: nanny state canada leashes law-abiding citizens as criminals roam free, canada reportedly preparing to evacuate 45,000 citizens from lebanon amid war fears, alberta oil heiresses ordered to pay $6.6 million in damages for libelling calgary lawyer, amazon returns just got substantially easier in canada: what to know.

There’s “no box, tape, or label needed”

Do juice cleanses work?

A three-day juice cleanse was the kickstart I needed for a healthier lifestyle

Advertisement 2 Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Beauty reviews: CHANEL Les Beiges Healthy Glow Sun-Kissed Powder, LolaVie Sculpting Paste, and Belif Aqua Bomb Hydrating Hyalucid Serum

The three buzzed-about new beauty products we tried this week.

Makeup tutorial: A fresh take on the frosted eyeshadow trend

All the rage back in the '90s and early 2000s, frosted eyeshadow is back in a big way this summer.

Review: Expand Furniture’s Flip Console to Dining Room Set is convenient for small spaces

The dining table can accommodate six people

This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here . By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy .

You've reached the 20 article limit.

You can manage saved articles in your account.

and save up to 100 articles!

Looks like you've reached your saved article limit!

You can manage your saved articles in your account and clicking the X located at the bottom right of the article.

• Destinations & Hotel Guide

• NEWSLETTER Sign up!
• MAGAZINE Subscribe!

140 Metre Lürssen Scheherazade spotted in Gibraltar

The 140 metre Lürssen yacht named  Scheherazade  has been spotted underway following her recent delivery. Previously known as Project Lightning, the new gigayacht was pictured in Gibraltar last days.

The new build by Lürssen Yachts remains a secret project and at the moment no technical or design details are known.

IN THE NEWS

Tankoa’s s501 series at her debut in the ‘evo’ version at..., feadship project 1011 gets ready for sea trials, sirena yachts starts construction of the first 42m superyacht, hydro tec presents its 55m catamaran, inspired by the mediterranean.

MORE SECTIONS

• Dear Deidre

MORE FROM THE SUN

• Newsletters
• Deliver my newspaper
• Sun Vouchers
• The Sun Digital Newspaper
• Racing Members Enclosure

Inside Putin’s £500m superyacht with pool that becomes dance floor, huge home cinema and even a GOLD toilet roll holder

• Julia Atherley
• Published : 21:30, 22 Mar 2022
• Updated : 9:27, 23 Mar 2022
• Published : Invalid Date,

THE sickening luxury enjoyed by Vladimir Putin on board his £500million superyacht is today revealed by The Sun — including tasteless gold loo roll holders.

Mad Vlad , whose forces are bombing women and children in Ukraine , spared no expense on the six-deck Scheherazade .

Pressure is mounting on Italy, where the yacht is anchored, to seize and sell it to benefit Ukrainians.

An ex-crew member said: “Russian people paid for it. Putin needs his head flushing down that golden throne.”

The Scheherazade’s official cost when finished two years ago was £500million — but insiders say it could be closer to £750million.

Pictures obtained by The Sun show six decks of obscene luxury and sickening excess.

Read more on Vladimir Putin

Putin's lavish fashion choices include £10k coat and luxury watch collection

Russian troops just 20 miles from ANOTHER nuke plant amid 'catastrophe' fears

A worker who helped build it said: “Every surface is marble or gold. There are countless swimming pools, a spa, a sauna, a theatre, ballrooms, a gym, two helipads. It’s like a mini city.

“There is even a hospital which makes sense when you hear rumours of Putin being terminally ill.

“It is hard to swallow the fact that the most incredible ship in the world is owned by a man intent on bombing civilians in Ukraine.

“And it is an unimaginable amount of wealth when the average Russian’s salary is £5,000 a year, and people there are struggling to eat.”

Most read in The Sun

Tearful dad of Jay Slater, 19, pays emotional visit to search site in Tenerife

Shock new pic shows Jay Slater at Tenerife rave just hours before he vanished

William shares adorable selfie taken by Taylor Swift with George and Charlotte

Shock NEW Jay sighting revealed as mum fears 'something untoward' happened

Since September 2020 the 459ft floating palace, named after a legendary Persian queen, has been moored in Marina di Carrara in Italy.

Rumours that Putin owned the yacht have circulated since its construction.

But its ownership was not investigated until jailed Putin critic Alexei Navalny ’s team released a video on Monday detailing the crew — all said to be from Russian security services.

Italian authorities have now been urged to seize the yacht. It is said to have a separate European crew only allowed on board when Putin is away.

Personal touches for the despot are evident in a judo gym which has framed pictures of black belts.

Books show Putin’s obsession with wealth, including The Atlas of Beauty by Mihaela Noroc, Fashion History from the Kyoto Costume Institute and Photo Icons by Hans-Michael Koetzle.

A tiled dancefloor lowers to turn into a pool. It is thought to be one of only two on ships in the world — the other is on Putin’s yacht Graceful.

Other indulgences include a self-levelling pool table, five-metre aquarium and the biggest TV on a yacht, stretching 4.5m across an entire wall, which cost a million euros to install.

Bathrooms are adorned with gold toilet roll holders and taps.

But it is clear Mad Vlad’s vessel is not just meant for pleasure.

It boasts two helipads capable of landing 16ft military helicopters.

The ship’s highly sophisticated security system with four radars is said to be capable of shooting down drones.

Underneath one helipad there is a hangar big enough to store a helicopter along with six jet skis, five tenders, and eight Seabobs.

The former crew member added: “All over the world yachts owned by oligarchs are being seized but the Scheherazade is sitting there in plain sight in a marina in Italy. It just doesn’t seem right.”

Flight details, obtained by Navalny’s team, reportedly show the Russian crew flying together to Milan, one of the closest airports in north west Italy.

READ MORE SUN STORIES

Bankrupt Katie Price goes on another holiday as she enjoys £67 a night festival

Conor left me fearing I was going to miscarry, says Charlotte Chilton

Read more on the sun.

Inside Putin's £500m superyacht with cinema & GOLD toilet roll holder

Why Ben Foden will never cheat on me like he did with ex Una Healy

They believe the crew were visiting the port to keep watch on the ship.

Tory MP Tom Tugendhat told The Sun last night: “Putin’s pampered nautical palace was launched with cash stolen off the Russian people and now floats off the Italian Riviera showing us all the action we should take.”

We pay for your stories!

Do you have a story for The Sun news desk?

Email us at [email protected] or call 0207 782 4104 . You can WhatsApp us on 07423 720 250. We pay for videos too. Click here to upload yours

Click here to get The Sun newspaper delivered for FREE for the next six weeks.

• The Sun Newspaper
• Vladimir Putin