FEDERICO SCOPPA via AFP
WAR IN UKRAINE – A mysterious mega-yacht worth an estimated $700 million (636 million euros) whose owner’s name has not been made public and which appeared to be about to leave, has been immobilized in Italy this Friday, May 6 by the authorities of the country.
The investigation by Italian authorities “has established significant economic and business links between the person who officially owns the ship Scheherazade and prominent Russian government figures” as well as Western-sanctioned Russian figures following the invasion of Ukraine, says a statement from the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance.
Following this investigation “the Minister of Economy and Finance Daniele Franco signed a decree of immobilization” of the ship, adds the press release. In dry dock for several months in the Italian region of Tuscany, the ship was launched and seemed ready to leave, an AFP photographer noted on Friday.
The “Scheherazade”, a gigantic yacht whose owner (difficult to identify) could be Vladimir Putin himself, has been frozen by Italy.
The Italian government speaks of links “with eminent members of the Russian government”.
(📷AFP/2020)https://t.co/jxGgtsAExqpic.twitter.com/71IXvi8kQJ
— Nicolas Berrod (@nicolasberrod) May 6, 2022
Released from the German Lürssen shipyards in 2020, the “Scheherazade”, 140 meters long, has two helicopter platforms, a swimming pool, a cinema and an anti-drone battery, believe the administrators of the SuperYachtFan site, who present themselves as investigative journalists.
The property of Vladimir Putin?
The big question remains: who owns the “Scheherazade”? A Russian oligarch or someone even higher? As long as it is a Russian… The press release from the Italian ministry does not specify the identity of the owner.
The team of Russian dissident Alexei Navalny attributes this sea monster to Vladimir Putin. It is based in particular on a list of crew members including several members of the FSO, the Russian federal service for the protection of personalities. False, retorts The Italian Sea Group, which took care of the maintenance of the ship in its yard.
“The ownership of ‘Scheherazade’ cannot be attributed to Russian President Vladimir Putin”, reacted in a press release the company, which says it relies on “the documentation in its possession and the results of the checks carried out by the competent authorities” .
See also on The HuffPost: This luxury yacht under construction will break all records in 2024
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