roman abramovich yacht in turkey

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Roman Abramovich's vast £750m superyacht is pictured at Turkish cruise port months after moving his prized 533ft vessel to the country to protect it from Western sanctions

• Roman Abramovich faces economic sanctions as a result of his ties to Russian president Vladimir Putin 
• He was forced to move his fleet of superyachts from western waters to avoid them being seized by authorities
•  Abramovich started moving Eclipse from the Caribbean days before the invasion of Ukraine took place 

By Darren Boyle for MailOnline

Published: 14:53 EDT, 12 August 2022 | Updated: 18:07 EDT, 12 August 2022

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Roman Abramovich 's flagship yacht Eclipse was today spotted in Turkish waters as the former Chelsea owner continues to prevent the £750m vessel being seized as part of western sanctions against Russia 's invasion of Ukraine . 

Abramovich, who is reportedly close to Russian President Vladimir Putin , faces having his assets seized and was forced by UK authorities to dispose of his interest in Chelsea. 

Several fellow oligarchs have seen their yachts and private jets seized after they were detained in western ports or airports. 

Roman Abramovich's £750m super yacht Eclipse, pictured, has laid anchor in Mugla, Turkey, where it remains beyond the reach of UK, EU and US sanctions 

Abramovich was forced to sell his interest in Chelsea as a result of sanctions in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine 

Abramovich moved his yachts out of western waters after the invasion of Ukraine. Western governments included oligarchs, such as Abramovich, who are seen to be close to 

Abramovich was able to move his yachts into Turkish waters. Turkey, which is a member of Nato, has not introduced sanctions against tycoons are accused of being close to the Kremlin.  

The Eclipse usually spends much of the winter in the Caribbean where Abramovich has a 70 acre beachside estate on the billionaire playground island of St Barts.

But it left St Maarten, around 20 miles from St Barts, on February 21 as Putin gathered his forces to invade Ukraine. It went through the Straits of Gibraltar nine-days-ago – just two miles outside British territorial waters – and studiously avoided the waters of EU countries as it continued sailing east.

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The Solaris had been undergoing repairs in Barcelona, but left hurriedly on March 8 as EU countries began seizing assets. It arrived four days later in the port of Tivat in Montenegro which is not in the bloc.

Montenegro, which is eager to join the EU, had agreed to replicate sanctions against Russia, but in practice it only banned flights by the country's airlines. Abramovich therefore viewed the superyacht marina in Tivat as a safer location than Spain - at least temporarily, sources said.

The Solaris hurriedly left Tivat  just before the EU announced it had followed the UK’s lead and sanctioned Abramovich over his Kremlin links.

The £750m superyacht was built in Germany for Abramovich. It is currently moored in Mulga at the Marmaris Cruise Port

Turkey is seen as a safe haven for Oligarchs as the government has not introduced sanctions against Russia 

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Second roman abramovich superyacht docks in sanctions-free turkey.

A second superyacht linked to Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich docked in a Turkish resort on Tuesday, and sources familiar with the discussions said he and other wealthy Russians were looking to invest in Turkey given sanctions elsewhere.

Western governments have targeted Abramovich and several other Russian oligarchs with sanctions as they seek to isolate President Vladimir Putin and his allies over Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

While strongly criticizing the invasion, Turkey has said it opposes sanctions imposed by its NATO allies on principle.

That could set it up as a possible safe haven for Russians seeking to make investments and preserve assets.

Eclipse, which is one of the world’s biggest yachts at 162.5 meters (533 feet), docked in the resort of Marmaris in southwest Turkey after skirting Greek islands, according to a Reuters witness and tracking data. It sails under a Bermuda flag.

The vessel is reported to have two helipads, nine decks, a swimming pool and built-in missile defenses.

Solaris, another superyacht linked to Abramovich, arrived a day earlier in the resort of Bodrum some 80 km (50 miles) away, after having also avoided the waters of European Union countries that have sanctioned the oligarchs.

They are among a string of yachts owned by Abramovich, according to reports in luxury goods publications SuperYachtFan, SuperYacht and Forbes.

Abramovich, the owner of English football club Chelsea , was in Istanbul briefly last week, according to flight tracking data and people familiar with the travels. There was no indication he was aboard either yacht.

A source in Ankara with knowledge of recent conversations with Abramovich said he and other wealthy Russians were looking to invest in Turkey given the sanctions imposed elsewhere.

“He wants to do some work and may buy some assets,” the source said, adding that the oligarch already had some assets in Turkey. The source did not give details.

Another source in Ankara said Turkey was not currently considering joining sanctions action and expected wealthy Russians to purchases assets and make investments.

“We act sensitively on issues such as bringing the oligarchs’ money to Turkey,” the person said.

A spokesperson for Abramovich did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

The foreign and interior ministries did not immediately comment on whether Western governments had requested that Turkey seize sanctioned assets. Last week, the banking regulator told Reuters it was monitoring sanctions applied on Russia but had not instructed banks to limit citizens of any country.

Boat protesters

A small group of people on a motor boat protested in front of Solaris as it docked, holding Ukrainian flags emblazoned with the words “no war,” footage shared by the expat association “Ukrainians in Bodrum” showed.

With the arrival of Eclipse and Solaris, Abramovich has for now stationed upwards of $1.2 billion of his fortune in Turkey, with each vessel estimated to be worth $600 million or more. Russian-linked yachts are stuck in several countries including Italy, Spain and Germany.

Sanctions are delicate for Turkey, which has close trade and diplomatic links with both Russia and Ukraine. Critics of President Tayyip Erdogan’s government have said the balancing act could leave it vulnerable internationally.

“The anchoring in Turkish marinas of yachts embargoed in European countries may leave Turkey in a difficult situation in the international arena,” Utku Cakirozer, an MP from the main opposition CHP party, told Reuters.

After meeting Erdogan in Ankara on Tuesday, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said he supported Turkey’s role in maintaining dialogue with both Ukraine and Russia.

“Turkey is doing everything that it can do. It is one of the few open lines we have with both,” he told a news conference.

“We would very much favor for Turkey to implement all the sanctions but I think we also have to be happy with the fact that Turkey is playing its diplomatic role.”

Russia calls its invasion a “special military operation” aimed at disarming Ukraine and removing what it says are dangerous nationalists in government. Ukraine and Western allies say that is a false pretext for an unprovoked war.

Turkey has sought to mediate a ceasefire and peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv.

The 140-meter (460-foot) Solaris, which also sails under a Bermuda flag, remained moored in Bodrum on Tuesday, a week after it left Montenegro’s Adriatic resort town of Tivat.

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Roman Abramovich's superyacht Solaris heads for Turkey as oligarch Chelsea owner gets assets out of Europe

One of Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich's superyachts, Solaris, is heading for Turkey, while a second, Eclipse, is off the coast off Algeria. Another Russian oligarch, Andrey Melnichenko, recently had a £444m superyacht seized by Italian authorities as part of EU sanctions.

By Jason Farell, Sky News correspondent, in Istanbul

Thursday 17 March 2022 10:44, UK

Roman Abramovich appears to be on a mission to get his assets out of Europe as sanctions tighten.

His superyacht Solaris, worth £430m, is heading south, apparently towards Turkey , after docking in Montenegro on Sunday. Previously, it had been at a repair yard in Barcelona - and had it remained there it might well have been seized by now.

Abramovich has been named on the fourth package of European Union sanctions that will see assets frozen for those Russian super rich considered to be linked to President Vladimir Putin.

Follow live updates on Russia's invasion of Ukraine

Due to sanctions passed last week, any cash or property the Chelsea FC owner holds in the UK are now frozen. His shares on the London stock exchange cannot be sold and won't pay dividends, and he can no longer benefit from the planned £3bn sale of the club. He is also banned from entering the UK.

Abramovich's journey back to Russia

Abramovich's second superyacht, Eclipse, is off the coast of Algeria. Its closest European port is Italy - where another oligarch, Andrey Melnichenko, recently had a £444m superyacht seized by authorities as part of EU sanctions.

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On Sunday night, Abramovich made a whistle-stop trip to Israel, where he is a citizen. Israel currently has no sanctions on Russian oligarchs, and the billionaire owns property in the country.

He was photographed at Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion airport on Monday afternoon before flying for a brief stop in Istanbul; Turkey is another possible safe destination for Russian money. From Istanbul his private Gulfstream G650ER jet - registration LX-Ray - flew to Moscow in the early hours of Tuesday morning .

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Turkish businessman Muhsin Bayrak claims to have met Abramovich, last week, to discuss buying Chelsea. A spokesperson for Mr Bayrak says another meeting was planned later this week.

Despite the British government freezing £3.2bn of his UK assets, including the west London club, it is thought Abramovich could still play a role in the sale, but only on the basis that he does not personally profit from it.

It is not clear whether Mr Bayrak, who made his money in energy, real estate, and cryptocurrency, has the funds to make the purchase.

What is happening with the Chelsea sale?

The British government is open to a sale and wishes to minimalise impact on the club and its fans, but Chelsea is required to approach the government with a proposal before a new licence is granted. Its primary condition is that Abramovich does not financially benefit from any sale.

Read more: How sanctions on Abramovich will affect Chelsea fans

Abramovich put Chelsea up for sale on 2 March, pledging to write off £1.5bn of debt and to divert all proceeds to a new foundation to benefit victims of the war in Ukraine .

The government sanctioned him, claiming to have proved his direct links to Mr Putin's regime. Abramovich has always denied any association.

On Tuesday, a further 370 new sanctions were announced by the UK government - bringing the total to more than 1,000 individuals, entities and subsidiaries now under the Russia sanctions regime since the invasion of Ukraine.

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Nigel Huddleston, the minister for sport, told a committee of MPs: "We are working with Chelsea and the fans that the measures we have put in place primarily impact Roman Abramovich and make sure he does not benefit, whilst making sure that where possible we can reduce the impact on the fans and make sure Chelsea can still continue.

"Can the government allow an entity to fail? Yes, it can, whether it's sport or football or anything else, but what we want to do is make sure the impact of sanctions hits those we want."

Looking to the future, he told the digital, culture, media and sport select committee: "We do recognise there is a need for further refinement and more robust owners' and directors' tests and the integrity element of that is something that is being pushed."

In other developments:

• More than 100,000 Britons register interest to house Ukrainian refugees • UK announces sanctions against 350 more Russian nationals and entities • UK bans luxury goods exports to Russia and hikes import tariffs on products - including vodka • Briton who travelled to warzone to join military fight against Russia leaves over 'suicide mission' fears • Employee interrupts Russian news programme with anti-war slogan

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Laura Pitel in Ankara and Andy Bounds in Brussels

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Roman Abramovich’s superyacht Eclipse arrived in the port of Marmaris this week, epitomising in its 163-metre hull western concerns about Turkish reluctance to sign up to sweeping sanctions against Russia.

At a time when European governments have begun seizing yachts belonging to sanctioned oligarchs, the billionaire Chelsea Football Club owner appeared to view Turkey as a haven for Eclipse. Another of his vessels, the 140-metre Solaris, arrived in Bodrum on Monday.

Selim Kuneralp, a former Turkish diplomat, urged his country to be careful about welcoming these vessels, writing in the online outlet Serbestiyet: “These superyachts could become a headache for our government.”

Turkey, a Nato member that has also forged close ties with Moscow in recent years, has won praise from western leaders for its condemnation of Russian president Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine and for supplying armed drones to Kyiv. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has also carved out a role as an intermediary between Putin and Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky.

Yet there is concern in European capitals that Turkey, and other countries such as the United Arab Emirates and Israel, could unwittingly or deliberately become a hub for Russian money, or for those seeking to bypass the sanctions imposed by western powers on Moscow. This could further strain ties between Ankara and the west. “It’s something we are watching closely,” said one European diplomat.

Ankara has sought to maintain what it calls its “friendship” with both Russia and Ukraine, and has said repeatedly that it will not sign up to sanctions. Turkish officials argue that they will not work. Turkey’s allies have so far been forgiving of that stance, and have been ultra-cautious about criticising Ankara in public.

“The Europeans understand that Turkey has interdependencies with Russia,” said Ilke Toygur, a fellow at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs in Berlin. “It’s in a strategically difficult position, and it has a fragile economy and so it cannot get on board with sanctions. This could, at least for now, give a free pass to Turkey when it comes to sanctions.” 

Toygur warned, however, that the pressure on Ankara could grow “if the war goes on longer, if the sanctions get harsher”.

Turkey has not traditionally been an investment destination for Russia’s oligarchs. But Abramovich’s private jet has repeatedly flown in and out of the country over the past month, according to airport tracking sites. Reuters news agency reported this week that the Russian tycoon wanted to invest in Turkey, citing an unnamed source in Ankara with knowledge of conversations with the billionaire.

For those without private jets, Turkey was one of the few remaining escape routes from Russia as most of Europe closed its airspace to Russian commercial flights in the wake of the invasion. Turkish carriers not only continued operating but also increased capacity to and from Russia by 12 per cent two weeks after the invasion, according to data from the travel analytics company ForwardKeys. That irked some European officials. “They see the crisis as an opportunity to make money,” complained one.

One EU official voiced concern that Turkey’s connections to Russia, and its membership of the EU customs union, could make it “very tempting” for some European companies to circumvent EU sanctions through legally affiliated subsidiaries in Turkey in the months ahead.

Another challenge for western leaders is the risk that Turkish businesses could rush to fill gaps in the Russian market after western brands, from Ikea to McDonald's, have pulled out. The crisis represented a big opportunity “not only for the [Turkish] textile industry but also for other sectors”, said Hikmet Tanriverdi, who represents the textile industry on the board of the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce.

Tanriverdi said that the largest issue remained payment, given the difficulties for Russian companies in obtaining dollars and euros. He echoed calls from other business figures for local currency trade that would bypass the dollar, and floated the idea of barter trade between the Russian and Turkish central banks that would essentially see Turkey swap exports of products and services for its annual imports of Russian gas.

Such orchestrated efforts to reset trading arrangements would risk drawing “punishment” from the US and Europe, said Dimitar Bechev, a visiting scholar at the think-tank Carnegie Europe.

A chief executive at a large Turkish food producer said that most large businesses would not want to risk falling foul of sanctions. “There will not be a blind jump into the Russian market at the cost of relations with the US or Europe,” the executive said.

Bechev said the case of Halkbank — a Turkish public lender that New York prosecutors have accused of being part of a multibillion-dollar, government-backed scheme to bypass US sanctions on Iran — had scarred western officials. “In the back of their minds [will be the idea that], even if Erdogan eventually signs up to sanctions, he won’t be sincere and Turkey will be trying to trade with Russia and find loopholes or back doors.”

Additional reporting by Valentina Pop in Brussels and Sylvia Pfeifer and Philip Georgiadis in London

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Russian oligarch stashes second yacht in Turkey, apparently to beat Ukraine-linked sanctions

March 22, 2022 / 7:55 AM EDT / CBS/AP

Ankara, Turkey — A second superyacht belonging to Chelsea soccer club owner and sanctioned Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich has docked in a resort in southwestern Turkey - a country that's not applying sanctions on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine , Turkish media reports said Tuesday.

The private DHA news agency said the Bermuda-registered Eclipse docked at a port in the resort of Marmaris amid international efforts to freeze assets belonging to top Russian businessmen linked to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

A day earlier, Abramovich's Bermuda-flagged luxury yacht My Solaris arrived in the nearby resort of Bodrum, triggering a protest by a group of Ukrainians who boarded a small motor boat and tried to prevent the yacht from docking.

Last week, the European Union updated a list of individuals facing asset freezes and travel bans over their ties to the Kremlin and began imposing sanctions on Abramovich. The 55-year-old had already been punished in Britain.

NATO-member Turkey has close ties to both Russia and Ukraine. It has criticized Moscow's invasion of Ukraine but has also positioned itself as a neutral party trying to mediate between the two.

Abramovich announced earlier this month that he's selling the Chelsea club. Abramovich said the sale won't "be fast-tracked but will follow due process" and that the net proceeds will go to victims in Ukraine.

"This has never been about business nor money for me, but about pure passion for the game and Club," he said. 

Forbes has valued Abramovich's net worth  at $12.4 billion  while Chelsea was worth an  estimated $3.2 billion  in 2021. The 55-year-old, who was once Russia's richest man, said he will set up a foundation to which net proceeds from the sale will be donated.

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Chelsea owner Abramovich's second yacht also docks in Turkey

Turkish media reports say a second superyacht belonging to chelsea soccer club owner and sanctioned russian oligarch roman abramovich has docked in a resort in southwestern turkey, article bookmarked.

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A second superyacht belonging to Chelsea soccer club owner and sanctioned Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich has docked in a resort in southwestern Turkey — a country which is not applying sanctions on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine , Turkish media reports said Tuesday.

The private DHA news agency said the Bermuda-registered Eclipse docked at a port in the resort of Marmaris, amid international efforts to freeze assets belonging to top Russian businessmen linked to Russian President Vladimir Putin .

A day earlier, Abramovich’s Bermuda-flagged luxury yacht My Solaris arrived in the nearby resort of Bodrum, triggering a protest by a group of Ukrainians who boarded a small motor boat and tried to prevent the yacht from docking.

Last week, the European Union updated a list of individuals facing asset freezes and travel bans over their ties to the Kremlin and began imposing sanctions on Abramovich. The 55-year-old had already been punished in Britain.

NATO-member Turkey has close ties to both Russia and Ukraine. It has criticized Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine but has also positioned itself as a neutral party trying to mediate between the two.

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Sanctioned Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich's $600 million superyacht is cruising off Turkey's coast after 8 days' sailing without a destination

• Roman Abramovich's yacht was off the coast of Turkey on Monday, ship-tracking data shows.
• His $600 million yacht, Solaris, is "scenic cruising" without a port destination, per MarineTraffic.
• It might be trying to confuse people about its final destination, a MarineTraffic spokesperson said.

A luxury superyacht owned by the Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich that has been sailing without a destination for more than a week updated its status for the first time since leaving port, suggesting it has no immediate intention of docking, ship-tracking data shows.

Solaris, a 140-feet vessel worth $600 million , was off the southwestern coast of Turkey and heading west, according to the tracking website MarineTraffic . On Monday, the website showed that the vessel's status changed to "scenic cruising" from "awaiting orders," the status it had shown since leaving Tivat, Montenegro, on March 13.

Georgios Hatzimanolis, a spokesperson for MarineTraffic, told Insider that though yachts and ships can change their status whenever they want, "most likely in this instance" Solaris is "using the status to confuse people from where its final destination is."

"Lots of speculation on if it will be Turkey, Israel, or even possibly the UAE," Hatzimanolis said.

The locations of luxury assets owned by Russian oligarchs have been closely monitored since sanctions were levied against many of the country's elite in response to Moscow's ordering troops into Ukraine. European countries including Italy and France have seized yachts, private jets, and other assets from several sanctioned oligarchs.

Abramovich, whose net worth is estimated at about $13.6 billion, according to Bloomberg , was sanctioned by the UK and the European Union, meaning his assets have been frozen and he's been barred from doing business there.

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Solaris had been docked in the Barcelona shipyard of the Spanish yacht-maintenance firm MB92 since late 2021. It left on March 8, shortly before Abramovich, the owner of Chelsea Football Club, was sanctioned.

Before the announcement of sanctions, some of Russia's wealthiest people sought to move their expensive boats and private jets to jurisdictions where they might be able to protect them from seizure.

Abramovich's other superyacht , Eclipse, said to be worth $700 million , was just off the coast of Crete, a Greek island in the Mediterranean Sea, on Monday, according to MarineTraffic . The yacht has been sailing since it left St. Martin in the Caribbean on February 21, the ship-tracking website shows.

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Russian Superyachts Find Safe Haven in Turkey, Raising Concerns in Washington

Turkey’s welcoming ports are symptoms of a much larger problem: evasion of U.S. sanctions against Russia.

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By Elif Ince Michael Forsythe and Carlotta Gall

PORT AZURE, Turkey — On a hot August evening at a marina on Turkey’s southern coast, the crew of the Flying Fox was hard at work, keeping the 446-foot superyacht immaculate for future guests willing to pay $3 million a week. One crew member leaned over the railing at the stern, wiping the highly polished surface next to the ship’s nameplate. Another was busy with a squeegee, cleaning glass.

The Flying Fox, the world’s biggest yacht available for charter, played host last year to Beyoncé and Jay-Z, who skipped the Met Gala in New York to cruise the Mediterranean and enjoy the vessel’s over-the-top amenities: a 4,300-square-foot wellness center with a Turkish bath and a fully equipped beauty spa, among many others.

Then Russia invaded Ukraine. Since then, the Flying Fox has been caught up in the dragnet of international sanctions designed to hobble the lifestyles of the oligarchs who help sustain President Vladimir V. Putin’s rule.

Yet, while some superyachts owned by or linked to Russian oligarchs facing sanctions have been seized in ports around the world, the Flying Fox and others caught up in the broader Russia penalties have found safe haven in Turkey, the only NATO member not to impose sanctions on Russia.

The flotilla of Russian superyachts in Turkish waters is raising tensions with the United States, which sees Turkey’s welcoming of the vessels as a symptom of the much larger problem: Russia’s access to Turkey’s financial system, potentially undermining Western sanctions.

Turkey’s strongman leader, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has criticized Western sanctions against Russia, said in March that Turkey could not impose sanctions because of its energy needs and industry deals. “There is nothing to be done there,” he said.

In all, at least 32 yachts tied to oligarchs and sanctioned entities have sheltered in the country’s waters in recent months, able to move about or moor in its picturesque coves and bays without fear of seizure, according to a New York Times analysis. Ownership records of superyachts for the ultrawealthy are notorious for being hidden behind layers of shell companies. The Times analysis was constructed with news accounts linking Russian oligarchs to particular yachts that were then matched with vessel positions available on commercial sites such as MarineTraffic . In many instances, the yachts were spotted in Turkish waters by a Times reporter.

On Aug. 19, the Treasury Department issued a statement saying that the deputy treasury secretary, Wally Adeyemo, had told a Turkish official that the United States was concerned about Russians using Turkey to evade sanctions.

Three days later, Mr. Adeyemo sent a letter to Turkish business groups warning of penalties if they worked with Russian individuals or entities facing sanctions. Turkish banks, he added, risked losing vital correspondent relationships with global banks — and even access to the U.S. dollar — if they did business with sanctioned Russian banks.

In September, several Turkish banks stopped accepting the Mir payment system — the Russian equivalent of Visa or MasterCard. Their actions came after the United States warned that financial institutions expanding the use of Mir or entering into new agreements risked running afoul of American sanctions against Russia.

Nevertheless, Turkish marinas continue to service sanctioned Russians and their superyachts.

The warm turquoise waters, secluded beaches and trendy establishments of Turkey’s Mediterranean coast have long made it a popular and convenient destination for Russian yacht owners and charterers during the summer. Local restaurant menus are printed in three languages: Turkish, English and Russian.

In June, the Flying Fox was singled out by the United States as “ blocked property ” and its management company, Imperial Yachts, was also sanctioned. Nevertheless, the Flying Fox has been moored since at least May at Port Azure, a marina in the posh resort town of Göcek. Other superyachts there owned by or linked to sanctioned Russians have been cruising from one postcard-worthy cove to another in the area.

The town’s polluted waters are unsuitable for swimming, an attractive feature for superyacht owners because it keeps away crowds and unwanted publicity. And the vessels can easily steam to pristine waters nearby. If the pampered guests have any unfulfilled needs, small boats roam around the harbor, selling groceries, ice cream, Turkish crepes and even massages.

Port Azure, touted as the first “mega-yacht-only marina” in Turkey, was opened last year by STFA, one of Turkey’s biggest conglomerates. The marina , which prides itself on its website as being a “haven” that makes “problems big and small go away,” has hosted at least eight yachts linked to Russian oligarchs or sanctioned companies this past summer, the Times analysis found.

On June 1, a Turkish yacht broker posted on Instagram a video taken at Port Azure showing a lineup of five yachts collectively worth almost $1 billion, including the Flying Fox; the Lana, recently listed at $1.8 million a week for charter by Imperial; and the Galactica Super Nova, linked to Vagit Alekperov, a sanctioned Putin ally, according to news media reports.

As of Oct. 20 there were at least 13 yachts in Turkey linked to sanctions, the Times analysis found. Of those, four were owned by or linked to sanctioned individuals and nine have recently been offered for charter by Imperial, the sanctioned Monaco-based company.

A spokeswoman for Imperial Yachts said that after the firm was sanctioned in June, its clients terminated their contracts with the company and that it “no longer manages or charters” any of the yachts in Turkish waters.

But until late August, Imperial advertised yachts for charter and for sale on its website, including yachts in Turkish waters. After an inquiry by The Times, the listings were removed from Imperial’s website, which now displays only a notice announcing that the company had been sanctioned. The company spokeswoman said that it had “kept its other pages alive as a reflection of its former brand.”

“During the time that the other website pages were visible, Imperial did not engage in any business engagements,” Imperial said in response to emailed questions.

Roman Abramovich, the most visible Russian oligarch recently seen in Turkey, does not use Imperial Yachts to manage the construction of his opulent yachts or staff them after they are put to sea. Four yachts owned by or linked to Mr. Abramovich, who has been sanctioned by Britain and the European Union, the Times analysis shows, were in Turkey in August.

Should the United States choose, it has tools at its disposal to enforce its sanctions on the Russian oligarchs, even if their vessels are in Turkish waters and even if the Turkish government is unwilling to cooperate, said Daniel Tannebaum, a former sanctions official who served at the U.S. Treasury and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

One way, he said, would be to place sanctions on companies that service the oligarchs’ yachts in Turkey — the marinas, caterers and fueling companies. In that case, not just Russian yacht owners but also the many American yacht owners now in Turkish waters would have to take their business elsewhere, while the banks that do business with these companies might close their accounts so as to avoid becoming a target.

Superyachts are a significant source of income for the marinas, as well as other businesses in the area. In one example, Turkish news media outlets reported in April that Mr. Abramovich’s biggest yacht, the 533-foot-long Eclipse, ran up a fuel bill of $1.66 million in the port town of Marmaris. Its tanks took 22 hours to fill.

One of the four superyachts linked to Mr. Abramovich, the 460-foot Solaris, is moored in the Yalıkavak Marina in Bodrum, a trendy resort town in Turkey’s south. While lying idle, it still has 20 crew members who make trips every day to provision it, supply it with water and electricity and dispose of its waste, according to a port employee with direct knowledge of the matter, who spoke anonymously because he wasn’t authorized to speak publicly.

Solaris also receives a truckload of food every week through a catering company, he said, adding: “Twenty cases of asparagus — what would you do with so much asparagus?”

Yalıkavak is Turkey’s most luxurious marina, with stores like Prada, Louis Vuitton and Valentino on a promenade lined with palm trees overlooking the harbor. At least three yachts recently offered for charter by Imperial, the sanctioned management company, and three other yachts owned by or linked to oligarchs moored at Yalıkavak Marina this summer, the Times analysis shows.

In an emailed statement, the marina said that even though Turkey has not adopted sanctions, because it recognizes “international concerns,” the Solaris has been kept outside the marina’s boundaries. As for the vessels associated with Imperial Yachts, the marina said that it did not know, as the summer is “quite a busy time” and that it didn’t have a system in place to check whether an individual yacht might fall under international sanctions.

In August, the Eclipse, one of the yachts linked to Mr. Abramovich, was anchored in the middle of the bay off Göcek, a three-and-a-half-hour drive down the coast from Yalıkavak.

On an early morning in August, Ömer Kırpat, 56, was fishing on the shore in Göcek, sitting under a willow tree overlooking the yachts.

“The bells aren’t jingling,” he said, pointing to the bells attached to his rods to alert him when the fish bite. He showed his bucket with one lone fish inside, explaining that the fish avoid the shore because of pollution and noise from the boats.

Port Azure, the Göcek marina hosting the Flying Fox, was built over the port of a state-owned paper factory where Mr. Kırpat worked for 13 years as a security guard until it was privatized in 2001. He used to go there to swim, fish and have picnics every weekend with other factory workers and their families. “It was sparkly clean,” he said. “We caught the biggest fish there.”

He tried to go into Port Azure last year but was chased away. “We’re banned,” he said. “Soon they won’t even allow us to look inside. It’s heartbreaking.”

Michael Forsythe is a reporter on the investigations team. He was previously a correspondent in Hong Kong, covering the intersection of money and politics in China. He has also worked at Bloomberg News and is a United States Navy veteran. More about Michael Forsythe

Carlotta Gall is a senior correspondent currently covering the war in Ukraine. She previously was Istanbul bureau chief, covered the aftershocks of the Arab Spring from Tunisia, and reported from the Balkans during the war in Kosovo and Serbia, and from Afghanistan and Pakistan after 2001. She was on a team that won a 2009 Pulitzer Prize for reporting from Afghanistan and Pakistan. More about Carlotta Gall

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Second Abramovich superyacht docks in sanctions-free Turkey

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This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.

SUPERYACHT. Eclipse, a superyacht linked to sanctioned Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich, is docked in Marmaris, Turkey, March 22, 2022.

Yoruk Isik/Reuters

MARMARIS, Turkey – A second superyacht linked to Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich docked in a Turkish resort on Tuesday, March 22, and sources familiar with the discussions said he and other wealthy Russians were looking to invest in Turkey given sanctions elsewhere.

Western governments have targeted Abramovich and several other Russian oligarchs with sanctions as they seek to isolate President Vladimir Putin and his allies over Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine .

While strongly criticizing the invasion, Turkey has said it opposes sanctions imposed by its NATO allies on principle. That could set it up as a possible safe haven for Russians seeking to make investments and preserve assets.

Eclipse, which is one of the world’s biggest yachts at 162.5 meters (533 feet), docked in the resort of Marmaris in southwest Turkey after skirting Greek islands, according to a Reuters witness and tracking data. It sails under a Bermuda flag.

The vessel is reported to have two helipads, nine decks, a swimming pool, and built-in missile defenses.

Solaris , another superyacht linked to Abramovich, arrived a day earlier in the resort of Bodrum some 80 kilometers (50 miles) away, after having also avoided the waters of European Union countries that have sanctioned the oligarchs.

They are among a string of yachts owned by Abramovich, according to reports in luxury goods publications SuperYachtFan, SuperYacht, and Forbes.

Abramovich, the owner of English football club Chelsea , was in Istanbul briefly last week , according to flight tracking data and people familiar with the travels. There was no indication he was aboard either yacht.

A source in Ankara with knowledge of recent conversations with Abramovich said he and other wealthy Russians were looking to invest in Turkey given the sanctions imposed elsewhere.

“He wants to do some work and may buy some assets,” the source said, adding that the oligarch already had some assets in Turkey. The source did not give details.

Another source in Ankara said Turkey was not currently considering joining sanctions action and expected wealthy Russians to purchase assets and make investments.

“We act sensitively on issues such as bringing the oligarchs’ money to Turkey,” the person said.

A spokesperson for Abramovich did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

The foreign and interior ministries did not immediately comment on whether Western governments had requested that Turkey seize sanctioned assets. Last week, the banking regulator told Reuters it was monitoring sanctions applied on Russia but had not instructed banks to limit citizens of any country.

Boat protesters

A small group of people on a motor boat protested in front of Solaris as it docked, holding Ukrainian flags emblazoned with the words “no war,” footage shared by the expat association Ukrainians in Bodrum showed.

With the arrival of Eclipse and Solaris, Abramovich has for now stationed upwards of $1.2 billion of his fortune in Turkey, with each vessel estimated to be worth $600 million or more. Russian-linked yachts are stuck in several countries including Italy , Spain , and Germany.

Sanctions are delicate for Turkey, which has close trade and diplomatic links with both Russia and Ukraine. Critics of President Tayyip Erdogan’s government have said the balancing act could leave it vulnerable internationally.

“The anchoring in Turkish marinas of yachts embargoed in European countries may leave Turkey in a difficult situation in the international arena,” Utku Cakirozer, an MP from the main opposition CHP party, told Reuters.

After meeting Erdogan in Ankara on Tuesday, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said he supported Turkey’s role in maintaining dialogue with both Ukraine and Russia.

“Turkey is doing everything that it can do. It is one of the few open lines we have with both,” he told a news conference.

“We would very much favor for Turkey to implement all the sanctions but I think we also have to be happy with the fact that Turkey is playing its diplomatic role.”

Russia calls its invasion a “special military operation” aimed at disarming Ukraine and removing what it says are dangerous nationalists in government. Ukraine and Western allies say that is a false pretext for an unprovoked war.

Turkey has sought to mediate a ceasefire and peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv.

The 140-meter (460-foot) Solaris, which also sails under a Bermuda flag, remained moored in Bodrum on Tuesday, a week after it left Montenegro’s Adriatic resort town of Tivat. – Rappler.com

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