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Authorities in Hamburg impounded Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov’s superyacht Dilbar after determining it was legally owned by his sister, who is also subject to western sanctions over the war in Ukraine.
The 156-metre vessel, the world’s largest by volume, had been undergoing refitting in the northern German port city.
With a 25-metre swimming pool and two helipads, it is valued at between $600 million and $750m, the US Treasury says.
Germany’s federal crime office the BKA said on Wednesday that despite efforts at “offshore concealment", it had determined that the yacht’s owner was Mr Usmanov’s sister, Gulbakhor Ismailova.
“The luxury yacht Dilbar is therefore subject to sanctions law and was able to be legally impounded in Hamburg,” the BKA tweeted.
The yacht could not be “sold, rented or pledged as collateral", a BKA spokesman told DPA news agency.
The move underscores the wider effects of the penalties levied by Europe and the US on ultra-rich Russians considered to have close ties to President Vladimir Putin.
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Two superyachts linked to Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich were spotted on the Turkish coast on Tuesday, 'Eclipse' and 'My Solaris'. Mr Abramovich is among several wealthy Russians added to an EU blacklist as governments act to seize their yachts and other luxury assets. AP -
'My Solaris', a superyacht linked to sanctioned Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich, is pictured in Bodrum, south-west Turkey. Reuters -
A 68-metre luxury yacht called 'Ragnar', owned by a former KGB officer Vladimir Strzhalkovsky, is pictured at the quay in Narvik, north Norway. AFP -
The 'Axioma' superyacht belonging to Russian oligarch Dmitrievich Pumpyansky at a port in Gibraltar. Reuters -
'Crescent', which is believed to belong to Russian oligarch Igor Sechin, is seen docked at Marina Port Tarraco in Tarragona, Spain. Reuters -
The yacht 'Tango', owned by Russian billionaire Viktor Vekselberg, at Palma de Mallorca Yacht Club on the Spanish island of Mallorca. Reuters -
The 48m long, St Vincent and the Grenadines-flagged yacht 'Lady Anastasia', owned by Alexander Mijeev, moored at a dock in Mallorca. AFP -
Superyacht 'Valerie', linked to chief of Russian state aerospace and defence conglomerate Rostec Sergei Chemezov, at Barcelona Port in Spain. Reuters -
The 142.81m sail-assisted motor yacht 'Sailing Yacht A', owned by Russian tycoon Andrey Melnichenko, in front of Monaco harbour. Reuters -
'Dilbar', a luxury yacht owned by Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov, sails in the Bosphorus in Istanbul, Turkey. Reuters -
'La Datcha', owned by Russian businessman Oleg Tinkov, docked at the port in Ensenada, Mexico. Reuters -
'Lady M', owned by Russian oligarch Alexei Mordashov, docked at Imperia's harbour. AFP -
Superyatch 'Amore Vero,' which French authorities have said is linked to Rosneft's CEO Igor Sechin, is seen at La Ciotat Port near Marseille in France. Reuters -
'Quantum Blue', Russian billionaire Sergei Galitsky's yacht, docked in the port of Monaco. AFP -
The world's largest expedition yacht, 'Luna', owned by Roman Abramovich, at the port of Sibenik in Croatia. Shutterstock -
The luxury 68m superyacht 'Triple Seven,' owned by Alexander Abramov, on the River Thames in London. EPA
Superyachts and other luxury possessions of Russia’s elite have drawn especially intense scrutiny since the country’s invasion of Ukraine.
Mr Usmanov owns a major stake in USM, a Russian investment group with holdings in Metalloinvest, one of the world’s largest iron ore producers, and telecommunications company MegaFon.
He is the sixth-richest Russian, with a fortune of $19 billion, the Bloomberg Billionaires Index shows.
The yacht is named after his mother.
