At least 9 superyachts owned by Russian tycoons switched off their tracking systems after the Ukraine war began, report says

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Galactica Super Nova reportedly stopped broadcasting its tracking signal after leaving Montenegro on March 2. Image: Heesen Yachts.

Source: Business Insider; Since the Ukraine invasion began, Russian oligarchs have been moving their yachts and private jets across the world in an apparent effort to protect their trophy assets from sanctions imposed by the US, UK, and other Western nations.

According to a report by The Daily Beast, Vagit Alekperov’s $80 million suoeryacht Galactica Super Nova stopped broadcasting its tracking signal after leaving Montenegro on March 2, leading to speculation that it might be trying to avoid detection.

The tracking systems on board at least nine superyachts linked to Russian moguls were switched off after the invasion of Ukraine, Bloomberg reported on Thursday.

Most of the yachts identified by Bloomberg as going dark between these dates are linked to Russian oligarchs on Western sanctions lists, such as those considered by the US to be in Russian President Vladimir Putin’s inner circle. A few vessels were connected to Russian tycoons who hadn’t been sanctioned at the time, Bloomberg said.

The International Maritime Organization’s website says all vessels of 300 gross metric tons or more that sail on international voyages must install tracking systems, known as an automatic identification systems, to provide information about their locations to the authorities and other ships.