The "sailing yacht A" under construction in Trieste is also destined for freezing.
It belongs to the Russian industrialist Andrey Melnichenko who has just been included, together with 13 other compatriots, in the European blacklist which now includes 862 natural persons and 53 legal entities.
The largest and arguably most original sailing yacht in the world is set to be seized (frozen) by the Guardia di Finanza in the port of Trieste, where it is currently being refitted by Fincantieri. "Sailing Yacht A," in fact, appears to have no chance under the latest round of sanctions imposed by the European Union against Russia and Belarus, as it belongs to Russian industrialist Andrey Melnichenko, who, along with 13 other Russians, has just been included in the blacklist, which now includes 862 individuals and 53 legal entities.
Built in 2017 at the Nobiskrug shipyard in Germany, the 142-metre-long sailing superyacht, which sails under the UK flag, was commissioned by the Russian tycoon who owns EuroChem, a fertilizer producer, and the mining company Suek.
Andrey Melnichenko "therefore operates in economic sectors that constitute a significant source of income for the Government of the Russian Federation, which is responsible for the annexation of Crimea and the destabilization of Ukraine," according to the EU Council Implementing Regulation. "On 24 February 2022, in the aftermath of the initial stages of Russian aggression against Ukraine, Andrey Melnichenko, along with 36 businessmen, met with President Vladimir Putin and other members of the Russian Government to discuss the impact of the course of action in light of Western sanctions."
The new roundup included 160 Russians: 14 oligarchs and 146 members of the Federation Council, “which ratified the government’s decisions regarding the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance between the Russian Federation and the Donetsk and Luhanusk People’s Republics.”
In addition to Melnichenko, the blacklist also includes Dmitry Mazepin (owner of the inorganic fertilizer company Uralchem) and his son Nikita, a driver recently fired from the Haas Formula 1 team; Alexander Vinokurov, son-in-law of Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov; Mikhail Poluboyarinov, CEO (until three days ago) of OJSC Aeroflot, Russia's largest airline; Vladimir Kiriyenko, CEO of VK Compan Limited, the Russian internet company associated with the now Kremlin-controlled social media platform VKontakte; and Andrey Guryev, CEO of PhosAgro, one of the world's leading producers of phosphate fertilizers, known for owning the largest private home in London (with 25 bedrooms) and the yacht AlfaNero, which fortunately is safe from sanctions because it is located in the Netherlands Antilles.
As explained in recent days by SUPER YACHT 24 The ability of Italy and other European states to freeze luxury goods belonging to blacklisted individuals stems from a European Union Regulation that has existed for nearly eight years. "Pursuant to Article 2 of Regulation 269/2014, all funds and economic resources belonging to, owned, held, or controlled, directly or indirectly, by any natural person or any of the natural or legal persons, entities, or bodies associated with them listed in Annex 1 of the Regulation are frozen," explained Attorney Vergani, partner at Bonelli Erede. "According to Article 17, the Regulation applies within the territory of the Union, including its airspace, including on board all aircraft or vessels under the jurisdiction of a Member State, and to any legal person, entity, or body in relation to economic activities carried out, in whole or in part, within the Union. In Italy, the initiative is taken by the Financial Security Committee, which avails itself of the territorially competent police forces."
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The legal basis for Italy's seizure of two Russian superyachts
