The super yacht suspected to belong to Vladimir Putin has been captured in Italy

Italian Economy Minister Daniel Franco signed a decree on Friday, May 6 A super boat suspected to belong to the Russian presidentVladimir Putin left the port.

The order did not name the Russian president Shehrasat is the ownerIt has been undergoing renovations at a shipyard in Tuscany since September “Economic and Business Relations” With “Significant elements of the Russian government and other persons subject to EU sanctions”.

Shehrazad has been under investigation since March over possible links with the Russians Approved by the European UnionIncluding Vladimir Putin.

Immediate departure

The seizure order was issued because the Italian government feared that the ship, worth $ 700 million (4 664 million), would escape.

The boat took off from the dry dock and was launched on Tuesday New York Times. “The boat can leave the port immediately” The crew was exposed to an American newspaper.

But according to a spokesman for the Italian Marine Corps, a luxury boat repair company, the ship will not depart until mid-June. “Maintenance work in progress, no immediate departure planned”Said Mariana Ferrande, the company’s marketing director at Defender.

The company initially said the 6 million redesign would be completed by 2023.

The “most complicated” investigation since the beginning of March

At 140 meters long and with twenty-two rooms, two airports, several swimming pools, a spa and a billiard table designed to tilt to reduce the impact of the waves, Scheherazade is considered the thirteenth largest boat in the world.

The luxury boat has been under investigation since the beginning of March, following EU sanctions against Russian oligarchs following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. According to Marina de Carra’s financial police source, investigations are ongoing “Too complicated” Due to a network of shell companies hiding the real owner of the super boat, the Guardian reported.

At the time, U.S. officials said they were investigating whether the boat belonged to Vladimir Putin. According to activists working with the imprisoned Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, Sherozat actually owns the Kremlin master.