Business Insider:
Superyachts linked to sanctioned Russian oligarchs are vanishing from global tracking systems in an attempt to avoid sanctions, according to an investigation by The Observer.
The British newspaper analyzed AIS (automatic identification system) data from tracking company Vessels Value, which indicated six yachts owned by sanctioned Russian oligarchs had disappeared from tracking systems.
The assets include the 238 ft Clio linked to industrialist Oleg Deripaska, which last transmitted in the Black Sea on April 18; the 229 ft Galactica Super Nova, linked to the former Lukoil CEO Vagit Alekperov and last seen off the Croatian coast on March 2; and the 459 ft Ocean Victory linked to Viktor Rashnikov, which last transmitted in the Maldives on March 1.
Other superyachts linked to fertilizer magnate Andrey Melnichenko, cigarette tycoon Igor Kesaev, and billionaire Andrey Guryev also disappeared off tracking systems in recent months while in the Maldives and the Caribbean.
Sam Tucker at VesselsValue told The Observer: “There are some vessels where we would be previously getting a signal every few minutes from transponders and we are now seeing gaps of months. It’s very likely that some have flicked off the switch and gone into stealth mode.” read more
Well, yeah, did anyone expect them to make it easy?
By the way, isn’t taking a private party/company vessel by force piracy?
Meanwhile, American oligarchs and tax cheats John Kerry’s and Mitt Romney’s yachts remain entirely unmolested.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/robertwood/2012/08/23/mitt-romney-john-kerry-and-italians-all-like-to-save-taxes/
Sippin’ Coffee
MAY 30, 2022 AT 5:08 PM
“By the way, isn’t taking a private party/company vessel by force piracy?”
It’s OK when WE do it.
I find myself increasingly rooting for “the Russians.”
Oh, I know. “You love Putin, Comrade.” Blah, blah, blah.
No, but I’d like to see them beat the crap out of the European money scammers who control our FED and OUR oligarchs.
Sure as hell sounds like piracy. What goes around comes around, find a safe harbor, if you can.
Oligarchs from anywhere do not commit a crime by buying a yacht fair and square from a dealer or former owner. Hands off their yachts.
Doesn’t matter if it’s a yacht or rowboat, it’s someone’s private property.
Governments, I thought, are supposed to protect the citizens and their property. It’s clear they have forgone doing what we elected them to do.
The point of this just one small part of disrupting Russian society and eventually making it ungovernable. There are probably covert social influencing operations underway to undermine Russian institutions – think sports and music for two examples – as is being done in the USA. Bringing down Putin is just an intermediate goal.
No you can not be saved! Yes we sunk your battleship! All your bases belong to US!
Sippin’ Coffee
MAY 30, 2022 AT 5:08 PM
“By the way, isn’t taking a private party/company vessel by force piracy?”
https://youtu.be/lE07p-EIBns
These aren’t sanctions. They are theft of private property.
My boat is 16 feet.
Try to take it from me.
Somali pirates taking note…
Hopefully the vessels are already
under impound.