A high-stakes game of cat and mouse is playing out in the high-seas as yachts owned by sanctioned Russian billionaires try to evade seizure.Under severe sanctions announced by the US and Europe, members of the Russian elite who have “aided Putin” in his invasion of Ukraine have been warned they will have “assets frozen and property blocked from use”.Solaris, a superyacht owned by Roman Abramovich, yesterday hit by UK sanctions, slipped out of Barcelona port on Wednesday afternoon where it was being maintained, and headed southeast.According to ship traffic data from Marine Traffic, the GBP430 million vessel was most recently tracked off the coast of Sicily as it joined a scramble of Russian-owned vessels hastily leaving European ports.Amore Vero: French authorities have seized an 88-metre yacht linked to Russian oligarch Igor Sechin / www.sale.ruyachts.comThe 458-ft yacht has several swimming pools, a helipad and an outdoor “beach club. The Eclipse, at 533ft, is his largest boat. It can hold 62 guests and 50 crew. The Eclipse is also moving towards international waters, departing from St Maarten, Caribbean. The Maldives, an Indian Ocean nation without an extradition treaty, is another safe spot. A large number of social media users are participating in the search using Marine Traffic to track vessels belonging to those on the sanctions list. “We were made aware that the ship had not been allowed into Poole, as there were questions raised about whether the yachts aboard were Russian owned. “We were made aware that the ship was not allowed into Poole as there were questions about whether the yachts were Russian-owned.” REUTERS: Europe cracks down on oligarchs. Two stucco mansions in Regent’s Park are up for sale “as shell” on GBP80m terrace. The Deo Velonte was not permitted to enter Portsmouth, in accordance with UK legislation. According to Marine Tracker, the cargo ship then docked at Cuxhaven in Germany, though it is unclear if the cargo was unloaded.The US president, Joe Biden, said last week the US was actively working to seize oligarch’s assets including superyachts, luxury apartments and private jets, warning: “We are coming for your ill-begotten gains”.As for what is believed to be Putin’s own yacht, Graceful, it left Germany two weeks ago and is now safely back in the Russian port of Kaliningrad.Graceful: Putin’s yacht left Germany two weeks ago for Kaliningrad / REUTERSCat and mouse: the superyachts on the moveValerie, a 278ft superyacht owned by former KGB agent Sergey Chemezov, is currently in Barcelona.Clio, a GBP4m superyacht owned by oligarch Oleg Deripaska, is heading for the MaldivesThe Titan, a GBP76m superyacht owned by steel magnate Alexander Abramov, is in the MaldivesThe Nirvana, a 290ft superyacht owned by Russia’s richest man, Vladimir Potanin, is in the MaldivesLady Anastasia, a GBP5m superyacht owned by CEO of Russian arms exporter Alexander Mikheev, is in Mallorca, Spain.Palladium, a 31 ft superyacht owned by Mikhael Prokhorov, is in Barcelona
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