Putin Superyacht Sails Through Danish Waters Escorted by Russian Warships

A superyacht widely linked to Russian leader Vladimir Putin transited Danish waters on June 29 under the escort of two Russian naval vessels. According to Danish public broadcaster DR, the movement was confirmed through maritime tracking data, photographs taken from the Danish coast, and official statements from Danish authorities.

DR reported on June 29 that the 82-meter yacht Graceful, reportedly renamed Kosatka after Western sanctions were imposed in 2022, entered Danish waters overnight, passing through the Great Belt Strait around midnight before sailing north past the island of Anholt. At its reported course and speed, the vessel was expected to round Skagen, Denmark’s northernmost point, later that day.

The yacht was accompanied by a Russian destroyer and an additional patrol vessel throughout its transit, DR said. Danish naval assets and the German coast guard have been monitoring the convoy since the morning of June 28. At the time of reporting, the Royal Danish Navy patrol vessel P521 Freja was shadowing the Russian group.

In a statement to DR, the Danish Armed Forces said, “The Danish Armed Forces routinely monitor vessels, including those of foreign states, transiting the Danish straits and waters.”

According to DR, Graceful has attracted attention since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine because its Automatic Identification System (AIS) transmitter was switched off on August 30, 2022. Although the yacht largely disappeared from public maritime tracking afterward, it was periodically spotted in Russia, including in St. Petersburg.

The vessel is more than 80 meters long and approximately 20 meters wide. Forbes previously estimated its value at around $119 million, while Russian opposition figures have long alleged that it belongs to Putin. The Kremlin has never publicly acknowledged ownership of the yacht.

The destination of the vessel’s current voyage has not been disclosed. According to DR, its movement through Danish waters is unusual given the years-long absence of publicly available AIS tracking data following the system being switched off in 2022.

Earlier, a Florida court filing accused Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne of involvement in a $6 million bribery scheme tied to the 2024 sale of the seized Russian-linked superyacht Alfa Nero. The vessel, linked to sanctioned Russian billionaire Andrey Guryev, was sold for $40 million despite claims it was worth up to $120 million.

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