Despite Sanctions, Russian Oligarchs Bring In Five New Luxury Yachts

Russian officials and billionaires have acquired at least five luxury yachts worth tens of millions of dollars since the start of the full-scale war in Ukraine, bypassing Western restrictions on high-end goods, according to The Moscow Times on November 19.

Although European sanctions have banned the supply of luxury goods to Russia since March 2022, new yachts continue to arrive.

In 2024, trusted associates of former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev imported the British-built yacht "Hurry Up" for approximately $4.3 million.

In 2023, corporate structures linked to billionaires Andrey Bokarev and Iskander Makhmudov bought the fast yacht “Foton” in Italy for almost $11 million and transported it to Russia.

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Category

World

How Europe Became a Safe Haven for Russian Elites Using Dual Passports to Evade Sanctions

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Also in 2023, a high-speed “Pershing 9X” yacht, valued at roughly $10 million, was brought into Russia for former Ukrainian lawmaker Viktor Medvedchuk. Medvedchuk was detained by Ukraine’s Security Service after the full-scale invasion, exchanged for Azov Corps prisoners in September 2022, and now lives in Russia.

Primorye Governor Oleg Kozhemyako acquired the elite yacht “White Pearl” in December 2023 for approximately $13.2 million. The 37-meter vessel was first brought into Russia in 2022 via an offshore company.

In 2024, sanctioned Alfa-Bank purchased a 34-meter “Majesty 111” superyacht in the United Arab Emirates for around $13 million. The Moscow Times noted that the bank’s beneficiaries—Mikhail Fridman, Petr Aven, German Khan, and Andrey Kosogov—are all subject to Western sanctions.

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Category

Anti-Fake

How the Kremlin Found a Home in the Sunshine State

Oct 24, 2025 15:45

Another yacht, a 23.6-meter Sunseeker 76 named “7K”, was received by businessman Vladislav Klyushin in March 2025, according to the report. Klyushin had returned to Russia in August 2024 as part of a prisoner swap with the United States

Earlier, it was reported that Russia’s super-rich increased their collective wealth by approximately $22.5 billion, despite ongoing Western sanctions, including those tied to strategic industries.

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