The Russian oligarch’s mega yacht that hit headlines when a Ukrainian sailor tried to sink it following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has been seized in Spain.
The 48-metre-long ‘Lady Anastasia’, linked to Russian oligarch Alexander Mikheev, has been seized on the island of Mallorca due to sanctions on tycoons close to Putin.
The ‘temporary immobilisation’ of the vessel, which is valued at EUR 7 million (GBP 5.88 million), was ordered by the Directorate General of the Spanish Merchant Navy.
The mega yacht is believed to be linked to Mikheev, who is the CEO of Rosoboronexport, an arm of Russia’s state-owned defence conglomerate Rostec.
The company is dedicated to the manufacture and sale of helicopters and military weapons to the government of Vladimir Putin.
The vessel has been anchored for several weeks in the Port Adriano marina, in the town of Calvia, in south-western Mallorca.
According to sources from the marina, the Spanish Civil Guard sealed off the ship and has been monitoring it since the early hours of 14th March.
The crew has already been informed that the yacht may not leave the port, following sanctions by the European Council on persons and entities linked to the Kremlin.
The relevant authorities are reported to be conducting an investigation into whether or not a sanctioned person or entity is, indeed, the registered owner of the vessel.
The Lady Anastasia is now the second yacht being held in Spain since the latest sanctions against Russia were agreed.
The first is the ‘Valerie’, which is moored in the Port of Barcelona and which allegedly belongs to former KGB officer Sergei Chemezov, who reportedly heads Rostec.
The Lady Anastasia last hit headlines when a Ukrainian sailor attempted to sink it following Russia’s invasion of his country.
Taras Ostapchuk, the vessel’s chief engineer, opened a leak in the engine room in the hope that the mega yacht would sink to the bottom of the marina.
However, the other crew members notified the Civil Guard, who arrested the sailor after getting him to confess to his actions.
He spent one night in prison and headed to the Ukrainian capital Kyiv following his release, ostensibly to take up arms against the invading Russian Armed Forces.
