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Russian Oligarch Yachts; Ukrainian Solution

Discussion in 'General Yachting Discussion' started by amuskett, Feb 25, 2022.

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  1. HTMO9

    HTMO9 Senior Member

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    As Mr. Putin is not listening to anyone anymore, there is only one way to get him. Get the Oligarchs on their wealth anywhere outside Russia. Lock their accounts, put their Megayachts on the chain, ground their private jets and confiscate their expensive houses on those hotspots of this world.

    And I would place a reward on the had of Mr. Putin and his toady Lawrow plus his buddy Lukaschenko. If the reward would be high enough, one of this Oligarchs will try to earn it. A few hundred million Euros will most likely solve the problem.

    And those 3 guys should additionally be wanted by warrant in order to place them in front of the international court for human rights.

    We have presently 3 large Russian yachts being chained here in Hamburg. Dilbar, Luna and Solandge. The government has declared, that none of these yachts will leave the Hamburg harbour until further notice.

    Dilbar at B&V.jpg

    Luna at B&V.jpg

    At the Leipzig-Halle Airport, there are 9 Antonov 124 grounded until further notice.

    AN-124-Rekord-der-Volga-Dnepr-Airline-am-Flughafen-Leipzig-Halle.jpg

    I had a very hard time to get all of my almost 500 EU employees plus their families out of Russia and the Ukraine in time but we managed to do so. Now we are evacuating all of our local employees out of the Ukraine and giving shelter for them here in Germany. We have closed all offices in both countries and we cancled all businesses with Russia. We may lose a lot of business volume due to my decisions but this the price of freedom, I am willing to pay, period!

    If the free world will stay together and keep the restrictions tight on Russia, Mr. Putin will not survive the action he has started. His own people will kick him out of office.

    There aren't the Russians people that are evil, it is only Mr. Putin and a few idiots surrounding him.

    Just my 2 (Euro) cents
  2. RER

    RER Senior Member

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    I have a family member in the USMC. He said they think Russia has only enough military capability to keep this up for about two weeks without continuous resupply from the international marketplace which appears to be closing itself off from them now, and if Ukrainians can hold on they stand a good chance to survive this. Starting to see reports to that effect today. As well as the Russians themselves not wanting to fight.

    Punishment of Putin on the world stage for his past bad actions has had no effect on him apparently. So now he’s put the civilized world in the position of having no other non military response except choking off commerce and cooperation with anything and everything Russian. The result of which, I think, will be Putin assassinated. It will be the Russians who do it. An inside job. Won’t be easy to get to him but the Russians just have too much to lose to let this madman continue with his madness.
  3. HTMO9

    HTMO9 Senior Member

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    The poor fellow that tried to sink the yacht of his Russian boss in Port Adriano got only because this honest man warned his fellow crew members about him opening the valves in the engine room. He did not wanted to harm anybody. The Russian crew members then closed the valves and turned him in.

    To bad he did not succeed!

    As two of my boats are also located in Port Adriano, Lady Anastasia is a jetty neighbour of mine. I have talked to this guy several times, as we share the same prereference for a pub on the other side of the harbour, the Sansibar. He is a very friendly and well-groomed person with good manners and I would not have a problem, offering him a job, as soon he is released from the police.

    His boss is producing some of the weapon, his family at home is attacked with. So I have some understanding for his behaviour.

    Lady Anastasia in Port Adriano.jpg
  4. olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

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    One sidelight. I've been contacted already by email by several brokers soliciting buyers for the yachts of Russian Oligarchs. These boats are hitting the market and efforts being made for quick, drastically reduced sales. I wouldn't go near them for personal reasons of not wanting one of their boats, but also what I imagine to be a perilous and difficult path to actually getting clear ownership and documentation. I don't know how many or which ones are available as I've responded by a clear "not interested" so haven't gotten more information. I do believe every major brokerage has been contacted.
  5. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    I m sure they huge accounts in a variety of countries. that will turn a blind eye. Switzerland, Cayman, Bahamas, Anguilla etc.

    They were ready for this. They be loosing temporary use of their boats, jets and mansions but they won’t suffer much
  6. Maritna_ra

    Maritna_ra Active Member

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    I don't know why, but...I've always had the idea that Russian's yachts are bugged :D
    Rerm likes this.
  7. Scott W

    Scott W Senior Member

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  8. Slimshady

    Slimshady Senior Member

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    I appreciate the information and whole heartedly agree on your actions to not do business with russia.
  9. rtrafford

    rtrafford Senior Member

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    Mexico is significantly influenced by China. China will buy Russian products with their own currency, and the Russians will use it to spend around the world in spite of the SWIFT blocks. China has their own banking exchange.
  10. HTMO9

    HTMO9 Senior Member

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    I think, I am not known for bringing politics into my posts at YF and JF but this crisis will have greatest influence on all of us and on he yachting industry and consequently on YF in the future. Change through trade is over. Gentlemen, if this maniac attacks one of the Baltic states, we have a NATO Article 5 case:

    Article 5

    "The Parties agree that an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all and consequently they agree that, if such an armed attack occurs, each of them, in exercise of the right of individual or collective self-defence recognised by Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, will assist the Party or Parties so attacked by taking forthwith, individually and in concert with the other Parties, such action as it deems necessary, including the use of armed force, to restore and maintain the security of the North Atlantic area".

    We are standing on the threshold of world war III. Putin is threatening us already expressis verbis with the use of NBC weapons.

    In best case, this man is stopped by his own people early enough but one thing can already be said, the Megayacht industry will never be the same again. The Russian Oligarchs will not be able to buy any new yacht in the foreseable future and they will neither have the funds (as their account in the western world are blocked) nor the facilities to use, maintain and repair / refit their present Megayachts. And this amount of money can not be payed in cash.

    On this side of the pond, now all countries are taking part on the embargo on Russia , even Switzerland and Monaco. Turky, known as friends of Russia, has closed the Bosperus for Russian vessels, the Kiel Canal is closed for all Russian vessels and no Russian ship, plane, train or truck will leave a European Country again, if caught entering them. The remaining free harbours, where Russian yachts are not chained are on Your side of the pond. Countries like the BVI, CI, Venezuela, Cuba of course and some others. It is now on the USA to close that gab for them in those countries too. The stricter the emborgo will be, the sooner will this nightmare be over.

    And yes, I can confirm that several oligarchs are trying to sell their yachts and Mr. A his soccer club Chelsea at very low prices but nobody will take their boats and assets and they are unable to place that money into any account in the free world.

    And Mr. Putin has no access to his 600 Billion Dolllar currency reserves as these accounts are also blocked and finally more and more Russian banks are locked out of the SWIFT payment system. The Russian economy will starve very soon, as their advertised economical independance is pure propaganda.

    We will also pay a pretty high price with this embargo but as I said above, this is the price we will have to pay for freedom. I rather have some shortage in convenience, than looking at nuclear mushrooms.

    Sorry if that was politics but it had to be said!
  11. Scott W

    Scott W Senior Member

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    I don't know about the Bahamas as their relationship with the UK has changed in the last year. But, Switzerland and Cayman Islands and Anguilla (all the commonwealth countries) have announced they will be implementing the UK sanctions at a minimum. I don't think there was any doubt that would happen in the Commonwealth countries. But, the decision of the Swiss is a most unusual development. I suspect UAE and Macau will see an influx in capital.
  12. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    The devastation and human toll is staggering. They are deliberately targeting civilians, not just military targets. I hope the seized assets and accounts are used as war reparation. Fast
    rocdiver and FlyingGolfer like this.
  13. amgscrap

    amgscrap Member

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    Wonder if he sells team for three billion will the money go to him or be confiscated or otherwise be held by the government. If can keep proceeds of sale then he will buy team back when the sanctions end.
  14. nmna

    nmna Senior Member

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    While I don't condone the acts of violence or war in any way, I find the sudden moral high-ground of certain individuals and entities a bit... hypocritical.

    To keep it yachting-related, over the last 20 years thousands of persons, from the welder to the executive paper-pusher, made some decent money at the expense of these oligarchs' vanity projects - all paid by their "dirty" money, of course. Apparently no one had a problem with that until last week.
    Reconjohnnie, Maritna_ra and Rerm like this.
  15. amuskett

    amuskett New Member

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    Looking at HTMO9's photos--Luna for instance--what would be the daily nut for electricity, generator fuel/maintenance, environmental controls, dockage, insurance, basic staff? A yacht such as that, unable to use or charter, has to be a major drain no matter how rich you are. No wonder they are trying to unload them. Who would have thought yachts would leverage a modern war? I commend those of you above who are doing the best for your people, and also those putting ethical considerations before potential personal gain.
  16. Kevin

    Kevin YF Moderator

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    Out of curiosity, what prevented the owners from getting those yachts out of Germany ahead of sanctions? Surely they are highly placed enough to have known what was going down... Putin moved his yacht before it could be seized. (I'm speaking of Dilbar and Solandge, of course... not Luna obviously.)
  17. leeky

    leeky Senior Member

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    The difference is the violence being inflicted on innocent people simply because a moral midget wants their land.
  18. nmna

    nmna Senior Member

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    So if the invasion never happened there would no problem with the so-called dirty money?

    Everyone knew how the majority of these businessmen made their fortunes yet turned a blind eye because they were lining their pockets.
    Whole industries that add nothing to the real world were created simply to cater to these newly-rich or to talk about what they do or buy. Others got a jump-start at the expense of them.
    Reconjohnnie, CWV and Rerm like this.
  19. Riknpat

    Riknpat Senior Member

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    Russia suffers stunning rebuke at UN. Resolution ordering Russia to end the invasion passes with huge majority. Only 5 votes in support of Russia. Russia, Belorussia, North Korea, Syria and Eritrea. 35 abstentions. Russia now expected China and India to abstain. But so did Venezuela, Cuba. Pakistan, Myanmar, Egypt, all the Central Asian Republics (Armenia and the 'stans') and Nicaragua where they expected some support. I can't recall such a blistering defeat in recent memory. That said, 35 abstentions are 35 possible safe anchorages or havens for yachts and/or money on the run
  20. kevin8tor

    kevin8tor New Member

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    Are you familiar with the phrase "plausible deniability". Many people can find comfort, or feel decent doing business with someone they "think" is bad, but do not have any evidence or access to information to enable them to arrive at a decision that commerce with these individuals is immoral. Especially when Sovereign governments are equally involved with those same individuals. However, the curtain has dropped and the truth of the depth of the Oligarchs involvement in the support, funding, and misdirection needed to prop up a tyrant is known to all. So, yes, things have changed, and it is no longer decent or even financially possible to court and service the yachts and manors of the Oligarchs. In fact, not providing them service and denying them access to their spoils of pillage is one of the only effective tools we have to quickly impact their decision making with regard to Putin.
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