russian yacht seized in london

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Ukraine war: Russian-owned superyacht named Phi and worth £38m seized in London

The superyacht, which was in London for an awards ceremony, is 58.5 metres long and features what is described as an "infinite wine cellar" and a freshwater swimming pool.

Political reporter @itssophiemorris

Wednesday 30 March 2022 12:43, UK

A superyacht owned by a Russian businessman has been detained in London as the UK government continues to impose sanctions due to the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps confirmed that on Tuesday, UK officials boarded the vessel named Phi which was in Canary Wharf in east London.

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"Today we've detained a £38 million superyacht and turned an icon of Russia's power and wealth into a clear and stark warning to Putin and his cronies," Mr Shapps said.

"Detaining the Phi proves, yet again, that we can and will take the strongest possible action against those seeking to benefit from connections to Putin's regime."

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The Department for Transport said it worked with the National Crime Agency and the Border Force Maritime Investigation Bureau to identify and detain the vessel.

The government did not reveal the name of the superyacht's owner, but described her ownership as "deliberately well hidden".

Phi is registered to a company based in the Caribbean dual-island nation of Saint Kitts and Nevis and carries a Maltese flag.

The Department for Transport added that it is "looking at a number of other vessels" and hopes its "strong stance sends an example to international partners".

Following the detention of the vessel, Prime Minister Boris Johnson's official spokesperson told reporters that the UK government "will continue to take robust action against anyone benefitting from Russian links".

"For the first time ever in UK waters, we have detained a Russian superyacht - the £38 million, Phi," he said.

"The Department for Transport has worked closely with the National Crime Agency and Border Force Maritime Investigation Bureau to intercept the superyacht and will continue to take robust action against anyone benefitting from Russian links"

Phi - a vibrant bright blue superyacht named after a mathematical concept - is double the size of the other boats docked around it at Canary Wharf.

The vessel was built in the Netherlands and she made her maiden voyage last year.

Speaking after the vessel's detention, Mr Shapps said Phi "won't be going anywhere".

"It was here for refit, won't be going anywhere, and it's just another indication that we will not stand by whilst Putin's cronies are allowed to sail around the world in these kinds of yachts and people in Ukraine are suffering," he said.

"When you see what he's doing to Ukraine, when you see what he's doing to people's lives, it can't be right to have a yacht like this here in London, able to just sail away and that is why we've impounded it, and denied it ability to go anywhere right now, and it's another indication of how seriously we take these matters."

🚨BREAKING: Russian superyacht detained. I have worked closely with @NCA_UK & the @UKBorder ’s Maritime investigation Bureau to intercept the £38m - Phi. This Government will continue to take robust action against anyone benefiting from connections to Putin’s regime. pic.twitter.com/enp9M2tmBB — Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP (@grantshapps) March 29, 2022

The government later clarified that the owner of the vessel is not currently subject to UK sanctions.

The move came as the prime minister's official spokesman said Mr Johnson told his Cabinet that "a ceasefire alone would not be cause for UK sanctions to be removed in Russia".

"He said the pressure on Putin must be increased both through further economic measures and providing military aid to ensure Russia changes course completely," the spokesman told reporters.

Number 10 added that the UK government's view on sanctioning outgoing Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has not changed in light of his involvement in peace talks over the Russian invasion,

It comes as the Russian businessman was reported to be in Turkey for discussions on Tuesday.

Earlier in the day, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said claims that the Chelsea FC owner suffered suspected poisoning during attempts to aid peace talks in Ukraine are "very concerning".

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The UK government has already imposed asset freezes and travel bans on a number of wealthy individuals as well as sanctioning certain Russian banks, limiting the ability of Russian companies to raise finance on the UK markets.

Ministers have also banned Russian carrier Aeroflot from landing in the UK.

But although it has announced it will phase out imports of Russian oil by the end of this year, it has stopped short of imposing a ban on the purchase of Russian gas.

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UK detains £38m superyacht owned by Russian businessman and docked in London’s Canary Wharf

The luxury vessel was in london for a superyacht awards ceremony, article bookmarked.

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The government today announced it has ordered its first detention of a superyacht in UK waters.

The £38m vessel is owned by an unnamed Russian businessman, the ownership of which ministers said is “deliberately well hidden”.

The luxury ship was in London for a superyacht awards ceremony and was due to depart at noon on Tuesday.

It comes as peace talks are underway over the war in Russia and Ukraine .

The transport secretary described the move as “a clear and stark warning to Putin and his cronies”.

Phi, a vibrant blue superyacht, is reported to be double the size of the other boats docked around it at Canary Wharf , east London.

The 58.5m-long ship features an “infinite wine cellar” and a “patented” freshwater swimming pool.

Speaking to the PA news agency, Grant Shapps said: “Now the ship is being held, it won’t be going anywhere.

“It was here for refit ... and it’s just another indication that we will not stand by whilst Putin’s cronies are allowed to sail around the world in these kinds of yachts and people in Ukraine are suffering.

“When you see what he’s doing to Ukraine, when you see what he’s doing to people’s lives, it can’t be right to have a yacht like this here in London, able to just sail away and that is why we’ve impounded it, and denied it ability to go anywhere right now, and it’s another indication of how seriously we take these matters.”

He added: “Detaining the Phi proves, yet again, that we can and will take the strongest possible action against those seeking to benefit from connections to Putin’s regime.”

The Department for Transport (DfT) worked alongside with the National Crime Agency and the Border Force Maritime Investigation Bureau to identify and detain the vessel.

It refused to reveal the name of its owner, stating that he is “a Russian businessman”.

The boat is registered to a company based in the Caribbean dual-island nation of Saint Kitts and Nevis, and carries a Maltese flag.

The DfT said it is “looking at a number of other vessels” and hopes its “strong stance sends an example to international partners”.

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Mystery Russian superyacht worth £38m seized in London in 'warning to Putin'

UK officials boarded Phi - owned by a Russian businessman - in Canary Wharf, east London, on Tuesday and detained it under sanctions imposed after the invasion of Ukraine

• 17:30, 29 Mar 2022
• Updated 17:49, 29 Mar 2022

A superyacht has been detained in London as part of sanctions against Russia , Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has announced.

UK officials boarded Phi - owned by a Russian businessman - in Canary Wharf, east London on Tuesday.

The vessel is the first to be detained in the UK under sanctions imposed because of the war in Ukraine .

Phi - named after the mathematical concept - made her maiden voyage last year after being built in the Netherlands.

She is 58.5 metres long and features what is described as an "infinite wine cellar" and a freshwater swimming pool.

The vessel was in London for a superyacht awards ceremony and was due to depart at noon on Tuesday.

Do you know who owns this super yacht? Email [email protected]

Mr Shapps said: "Today we've detained a £38 million superyacht and turned an icon of Russia's power and wealth into a clear and stark warning to Putin and his cronies.

"Detaining the Phi proves, yet again, that we can and will take the strongest possible action against those seeking to benefit from connections to Putin's regime."

The Phi seemed largely abandoned with just one crew member spotted on board, while boxes and bin liners full of cleaning products lay on the dock beside.

Boat mechanic, Inigo Lapwood, 28, lives on a barge in the North Quay where the superyacht has been docked since arriving in the capital on December 11.

He said: “It’s been there for around three months, it arrived here on 11 December last year.

“There’s lots of boats and yachts like that which turn up here so it’s not that unusual, it’s not even the most impressive one I’ve seen here.

“It’s just a display of wealth, when you’ve got a boat like that the only purpose is to show it off.

“There’s probably about a dozen members of crew on board, there’s six faces I regularly see. They spend most of their time just cleaning the boat, I’ve never seen the owner.”

Boat International reported that the Phi set sail from Royal Huisman's build facility in Vollenhove, Netherlands, in November.

Royal Huisman chief executive Jan Timmerman described the delivery as "a moment of great pride".

"It is also bittersweet, having to say farewell to PHI, as her creation has been part of our daily lives for several years. At the same time, we know that PHI and her shadow vessel will conquer the oceans."

The Department for Transport (DfT) said it worked with the National Crime Agency and the Border Force Maritime Investigation Bureau to identify and detain the vessel.

It refused to reveal the name of her owner, stating that he is "a Russian businessman".

The department described Phi's ownership as "deliberately well hidden".

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She is registered to a company based in the Caribbean dual-island nation of Saint Kitts and Nevis, and carries a Maltese flag.

The DfT said it is "looking at a number of other vessels" and hopes its "strong stance sends an example to international partners".

It comes after Russian oligarch Alisher Usmanov claimed he managed to dodge UK sanctions by putting his UK properties and yacht out of the law’s reach.

A spokesman for the billionaire, who has had ties to Arsenal and Everton football clubs, said most of his UK assets were transferred into trusts before Boris Johnson imposed sanctions.

Ministers sanctioned Mr Usmanov earlier this month because of his “close links to the Kremlin” as they seek to punish Russian President Vladimir Putin for waging war.

The Government said he owns Beechwood House in Highgate, north-west London, and estimated it is worth £48 million, as well as the 16th century Sutton Place estate in Surrey.

But a spokesman, quoted by the BBC and the Guardian, said most of his UK property and his yacht had already been “long ago transferred into irrevocable trusts”.

“From that point on, Mr Usmanov did not own them, nor was he able to manage them or deal with their sale, but could only use them on a rental basis. Mr Usmanov withdrew from the beneficiaries of the trusts, donating his beneficial rights to his family,” he added.

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UK seizes superyacht of unknown Russian businessman docked in London

A superyacht believed to be owned by a Russian businessman has been seized by UK authorities, Grant Shapps has confirmed.

The superyacht, known as Phi, was boarded by UK authorities in Canary Wharf , where it was docked on Tuesday.

The Transport Secretary said the yacht is reportedly valued at £38million and had been in London for an awards ceremony.

The 58.5 metre vessel contains a freshwater swimming pool and a wine cellar and was due to leave at 12pm.

Mr Shapps said: "Today we’ve detained a £38 million superyacht and turned an icon of Russia’s power and wealth into a clear and stark warning to Putin and his cronies.

"Detaining the Phi proves, yet again, that we can and will take the strongest possible action against those seeking to benefit from connections to Putin’s regime."

The Department for Transport (DfT) said it worked with the National Crime Agency and the Border Force Maritime Investigation Bureau to identify and detain the vessel.

The name of the Russian businessman linked to the yacht is unknown but the vessel is believed to be registered to a company based in Saint Kitts and Nevis.

The DfT said it will look into more vessels to detain as part of the UK’s sanctions programme against Russian businessmen with links to Vladimir Putin.

Mr Shapps added: “Now the ship is being held, it won’t be going anywhere.

"It was here for refit, won’t be going anywhere, and it’s just another indication that we will not stand by whilst Putin’s cronies are allowed to sail around the world in these kinds of yachts and people in Ukraine are suffering.

"When you see what he’s doing to Ukraine, when you see what he’s doing to people’s lives, it can’t be right to have a yacht like this here in London, able to just sail away and that is why we’ve impounded it, and denied it ability to go anywhere right now, and it’s another indication of how seriously we take these matters."

Last week the UK announced a further 65 new sanctions against Russian individuals and entities.

The Government has now sanctioned more than 1,000 individuals and entities following the invasion of Ukraine.

Among those most recently sanctioned were individuals linked to the Wagner Group, a mercenary organisation and Polina Kovaleva, the Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov’s stepdaughter, who reportedly owns a £4m house in London.

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A $49M Russian superyacht has been detained by U.K. officials near London

Rachel Treisman

The newly-detained superyacht Phi is pictured while docked in Canary Wharf in east London on Tuesday. James Manning - PA Images/PA Images via Getty Images hide caption

The newly-detained superyacht Phi is pictured while docked in Canary Wharf in east London on Tuesday.

Officials in the United Kingdom say they've detained a Russian-owned superyacht docked near London, a first under new sanctions imposed over Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The $49.67 million yacht, which is named Phi, belongs to an unnamed Russian businessman and was docked in the Canary Wharf financial district of London, according to the government.

"Today we've detained a 38 million pound superyacht and turned an icon of Russia's power and wealth into a clear and stark warning to Putin and his cronies," Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said in a statement reported by Reuters . "Detaining the Phi proves, yet again, that we can and will take the strongest possible action against those seeking to benefit from Russian connections."

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Ukrainian sailors tried to block a Russian oligarch's yacht from docking in Turkey

A spokesperson for Prime Minister Boris Johnson said this is the first time a Russian superyacht has been detained in U.K. waters, according to SkyNews — which added that the government later clarified that the unidentified owner of the vessel is not currently subject to U.K. sanctions.

Officials said the yacht's ownership is "deliberately well hidden." The company it's registered to is based in the Caribbean islands of St. Kitts and Nevis, but the ship itself carries Maltese flags, purportedly to hide its origins.

Reuters reports that Phi was in Canary Wharf for a superyacht awards ceremony and was planning to depart today.

But the yacht won't be leaving anytime soon, according to Shapps.

"When you see what he's doing to Ukraine, when you see what he's doing to people's lives, it can't be right to have a yacht like this here in London, able to just sail away and that is why we've impounded it, and denied it ability to go anywhere right now, and it's another indication of how seriously we take these matters," he said.

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Phi measures more than 190 feet long. It was completed in 2021 by Dutch builder Royal Huisman , which said it was set to be the longest sub-500GT yacht in the world. Its amenities include a freshwater swimming pool that converts into a sealed tank and an "infinite wine cellar," according to Boat International .

It also boasts a laser-powered exterior lighting system, Auto Evolution reports , and is accompanied by what is called a shadow vessel — "where all the water toys and additional equipment can be carried, in order to free up even more space on the mothership." The 118-foot shadow vessel, Phi Phantom , can reportedly fit a "huge tender and a boat," personal watercraft, motorbikes, additional fuel and a car.

Officials said that they first flagged the yacht as being potentially Russian-owned on March 13 and that the Department for Transport, National Crime Agency and Border Force Maritime Investigation Bureau worked together to identify and detain it.

The transportation department said it's also looking at a number of other vessels and hopes that its "strong stance sends an example to international partners."

This story first appeared in the Morning Edition live blog .

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In the dock: Oligarch’s stranded superyacht haunts the UK's drive for Russia sanctions

The phi remains moored in london after sergei naumenko lost the latest round in his legal battle to get it back.

Detained Russian-owned superyacht Phi in London's West India and Millwall Docks in March 2022. Reuters

For commuters on their way to work on a chilly London morning and locals walking their dogs, the Phi doesn’t appear even to warrant a glance as they pass its striking profile.

The superyacht remains moored in the UK’s capital after being seized from its Russian owner in the weeks after Vladimir Putin ordered his troops into Ukraine , and not long after its launch as the latest star on the superyacht scene.

With its sleek lines and skyscrapers backdrop, the Phi became a symbol of the push to respond to President Putin's invasion of Ukraine. The UK’s then Transport Secretary Grant Shapps popped up in a TikTok video beside the vessel, announcing: “It's a yacht which belongs to a Russian oligarch, friends of Putin,” as the National Crime Agency, the UK’s equivalent of the FBI, seized the Phi.

Almost two years later, Mr Shapps has moved on to oversee the UK's support for Ukraine as Defence Secretary, but the Phi is still moored in east London amid growing questions over whether the western sanctions drive against the Kremlin has been all symbolism and no bite.

One thing is for sure, the owner, Sergei Naumenko, isn't going to get to play with his €44 million (£38 million) toy any time soon. A UK court last week rejected his latest attempt to free the vessel.

The continued detention of the yacht has, however, raised the question of whether sanctions imposed on Russians, both as a result of the war in Ukraine and stemming from allegations of corruption, are effective in achieving their goals or are more to do with PR.

Experts The National has spoken to say there continue to be loopholes wealthy Russians can exploit to hide their wealth in the UK. While some assets have been frozen, none have been seized outright. Meanwhile, Russia itself continues to trade with the world.

“I think there’s a lot of questions about whether in this particular instance, it was more driven by PR than a tangible public policy outcome,” said Steve Goodrich from the campaign group Transparency International.

“Until we see either individuals before the courts or assets being taken away from them, it looks like sanctions are a bit of a paper tiger."

In the meantime, the 58.5-metre Phi remains part of the furniture at London’s Canary Wharf.

“We’ve been here since June and to be honest we don’t pay much attention to it,” a woman, out with her husband walking their two dogs, told The National.

“We’ve seen people on it now and again who look like they're doing maintenance. I heard it’s owned by a Russian oligarch but that’s all I know,” added the woman, who asked not to be identified.

The Phi has been moored in London since December 2021, when it arrived from the Netherlands after being completed by the prestigious Royal Huisman Shipyard.

It was only due to stop over in London to participate in the World Superyacht Awards before heading to Malta.

Mr Naumenko owns it through a front company registered in St Kitts and Nevis.

Mr Naumenko, who is adamant he has no connection to the Russian government and has never held any elected or official position, sued to get the superyacht back but in July 2023 a judge rejected the bid, and his appeal against that decision was thrown out this week.

While himself not a sanctioned individual, under UK law his assets can still be frozen if he is deemed to have benefited from the current Russian regime to the extent that he can afford a superyacht.

There was some consolation for him in the ruling when the judges said they were “troubled” by Mr Shapps' “incorrect statements” regarding Mr Naumenko and said these “ought not to have been made”, though ultimately they made no difference to the outcome.

Angelika Hellweger, a lawyer who is a sanctions and financial crime expert, told The National that actions such as detaining the Phi are "done by the West in a PR light to show the Russian elite what will happen to them and hope it has a deterrent effect".

“Moving against yachts and cars and so on is mainly a statement that they will go after them wherever they are and to show Putin and the people around him that the West won’t tolerate them," said Dr Hellweger, legal director at London law firm Rahman Ravelli.

She explained that while the term "seized" is in common parlance when talking about physical assets, they are in fact technically frozen – like a bank account might be – as they have not yet been confiscated.

When it comes to the wider sanctions regime, she said Russia, in common with many other countries in similar situations, has managed to find ways around them.

She cited the example of Russia being able to cope with the impact of the sanctions through a series of informal and shadow trade networks with neighbouring countries such as Kazakhstan and Belarus.

“You cannot isolate an economy forever, in particular one so integrated with the rest of the world, with globally important commodities such as oil and gas, like Russia, on which the West is very much dependent.”

The UK's Department of Transport says Mr Naumenko is picking up the bill for mooring, maintenance and any other charges relating to the Phi's detention.

By some estimates, the cost of maintaining a superyacht amounts to 10 per cent of its cost price, though that's likely to be lower given it's not consuming a large amount of fuel while berthed.

The Phi is among a number of superyachts linked to sanctioned Russian owners that have been detained. Some have been sold, including the Axioma, which was auctioned by the government of Gibraltar in 2022.

So far there has been no indication the UK authorities are looking to confiscate the Phi from Mr Naumenko, a property developer, as they did with the artwork seized from Nazem Ahmad , the alleged Hezbollah financier.

If it were to be put on the market there would be no shortage of potential buyers prepared to pay more than the original price, says superyacht broker Tim Johnson.

“It’s a pedigree yacht and it’s quite a unique design made by a pedigree shipyard,” Mr Johnson, the founder and chief executive of TJB Superyachts, told The National.

“A couple of years ago there was a big stigma with the past history of a yacht such as this but I think people have got past [that], so for some owners out there, they won’t mind that it was built for and owned by a Russian."

Mr Johnson explained that with the years-long wait for a new Royal Huisman yacht to be built, and with inflation pushing up the cost of building new vessels, it’s entirely possible the Phi would fetch more than its list price.

“It would take you four or five years to do something similar and with the time and man-hours that went into it, yachts at that level really hold their value for quite some time," he said.

“So to build this yacht again from start to finish today, you'll probably pay upwards of €70 million. So he could probably look to sell it for around €60 million.”

In the meantime, Mr Naumenko’s legal battle to get the yacht returned continues, said Sir Ian Collett, director of superyacht consultants Ward & McKenzie, who have been representing him.

“Our client’s solicitors and counsel are currently considering the detailed judgment with a view to seeking leave to appeal to the Supreme Court,” Sir Ian told The National.

Among them were a “number of issues within the judgment in which they disagree, and they may form the background to an appeal", in particular the fact that the Court of Appeal found that the Secretary of State for Transport made statements which were “incorrect”.

That the Court of Appeal found that these incorrect statements made no difference to the outcome is “something which we do not accept”.

UK seizes first Russian yacht as more sanctions on oligarchs take hold

• War in Europe
• Tuesday 29 March 2022 at 1:35pm

The UK has seized its first Russian super yacht as part of sanctions against Russia, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has announced.

UK officials boarded Phi - owned by a Russian businessman - in Canary Wharf, east London on Tuesday. The vessel is the first to be detained in the UK under sanctions imposed because of the war in Ukraine.

Mr Shapps said: "Today we've detained a £38 million superyacht and turned an icon of Russia's power and wealth into a clear and stark warning to Putin and his cronies.

"Detaining the Phi proves, yet again, that we can and will take the strongest possible action against those seeking to benefit from connections to Putin's regime."

Phi - named after the mathematical concept - made her maiden voyage last year after being built in the Netherlands. She is 58.5 metres long and features what is described as an "infinite wine cellar" and a freshwater swimming pool.

The vessel was in London for a superyacht awards ceremony and was due to depart at noon on Tuesday.

The Department for Transport (DfT) said it worked with the National Crime Agency and the Border Force Maritime Investigation Bureau to identify and detain the vessel.

It refused to reveal the name of her owner, stating that he is "a Russian businessman", describing Phi's ownership as "deliberately well hidden".

The DfT said it is "looking at a number of other vessels" and hopes its "strong stance sends an example to international partners".

The UK has already sanctioned more than 1,000 Russian individuals and entities since Vladimir Putin ordered an invasion of Ukraine, which has since seen thousands killed.

The measures are designed to starve the Russian leader of finances to fund his war machine in a bid to slow the invasion, which is said to have repeatedly stalled due to numerous setbacks.

All those sanctions are subject to a travel ban, meaning they cannot enter or leave Britain, and will have their UK assets frozen.

More general sanctions already imposed against Russia have banned all Russian ships from using UK ports and any Russian aircraft from using British airspace.

The yacht on Tuesday is thought to be the first seized by the UK under its Russian sanctions regime, with critics accusing the government of being behind the EU in holding assets.

French authorities seized a Russian super yacht owned by Igor Sechin, boss of Russian state energy company Rosneft, at the start of March and days later Italy seized a super yacht belonging to Russian oligarch Andrey Igorevich Melnichenko.

The UK had been under pressure for some time to seize the £460 million yacht owned by Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich, however, it has been photographed docking in Turkey, where the oligarch is as he negotiates with Ukraine on behalf of Russia as both sides attempt to find agreement to end the war.

Nato leaders agreed last week at an emergency meeting to toughen Western sanctions against Russia.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss told MPs on Monday that sanctions are "pushing back the Russian economy by years and we owe it to the brave Ukrainians to keep up our tough approach to get peace".

In the Commons, she said: "Through tougher sanctions to debilitate the Russian economy, supplying weapons to Ukraine and boosting Nato's eastern flank, providing humanitarian aid and dealing with the wider consequences of this crisis and supporting Ukraine in any negotiations they undertake.

"Strength is the only thing Putin understands. Our sanctions are pushing back the Russian economy by years and we owe it to the brave Ukrainians to keep up our tough approach to get peace.

"We owe it ourselves to stand with them for the cause of freedom and democracy in Europe and across the world. It is vital we step up this pressure, we cannot wait for more appalling atrocities to be committed in Ukraine."

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Russian oligarch’s £38m superyacht back in London a year after being seized

Tuesday, March 28th, 2023

Written by: Marine Industry News

A superyacht reportedly owned by a Russian oligarch has been spotted at London’s Canary Wharf — a year after the vessel was seized under sanctions imposed after the invasion of Ukraine.

Alongside several eyewitness reports, AIS data confirms that, as of 28 March 2023, the £38m megayacht Phi is moored in Canary Wharf, east London.

The ultimate ownership of the Phi had been well hidden. The company the ship is registered to is based in St Kitts and Nevis, and the vessel carried Maltese flags.

In March 2022, the UK government detained Phi in Canary Wharf , just hours before it was set to leave the capital following a superyacht awards ceremony.

At the time, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said the unnamed owner was “not currently sanctioned” but is a businessman who has “close connections” to Russian President Vladimir Putin. While initial reports in British outlets claimed the vessel is owned by Russian businessman Sergei Georgievich Naumenko, the Financial Times reported the ultimate owner as Vitaly Vasilievich Kochetkov, the founder of Motiv Telecom.

Arriving on the vessel for a photocall after the yacht was detained last year, Shapps declared the move a ‘warning’ to Russia.

“We’ve detained a £38m superyacht and turned an icon of Russia’s power and wealth into a clear and stark warning to Putin and his cronies,” he said. “Detaining Phi, proves, yet again, that we can and will take the strongest possible action against those seeking to benefit from Russian connections.”

Yet despite the detention and unclear ownership, Phi remains in Canary Wharf. One Londoner has posted a photo of Phi on the Reddit forum this week, asking: “Whose yacht is docked in Canary Wharf?”

One user clarifies: “Yea it’s on my running route and has been over in that corner of the dock for almost a year now. It used to come and go I think, and dock a bit closer to everything else.”

The 58.5-metre  Phi  has a freshwater swimming pool and an ‘infinite wine cellar’ – created by reflections of mirrors –according to the website of its builder Royal Huisman .  Phi  is the third-biggest yacht built by the prestigious Dutch shipyard, and also has its own 36-metre shadow vessel. It made its maiden voyage from the Netherlands to London in December 2021.

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2 responses to “russian oligarch’s £38m superyacht back in london a year after being seized”.

Completely illegal seizure of property which casts doubt on 400 years of UK property law. Seizure if sanctioned individual’s property is understandable if debatable but this one is indefensible and just a publicity stunt by a weak and shallow UK government

Uncanny that the tender is a Ukrainian built rib that the Russians bombed the factory of last June! Disgraceful

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A Russian businessman's $50 million superyacht was seized by the UK after mooring in London for an awards ceremony, government says

• The UK government said it seized a Russian-owned, $50 million superyacht on Tuesday.
• The yacht Phi is registered to a Caribbean firm and carried a Maltese flag "to hide its origins," UK crime agency said.
• The government opened an investigation after it was identified as potentially being Russian on March 13.

A Russian-owned, $50 million superyacht was seized by the United Kingdom on Tuesday, the government said.

It's the first superyacht to be detained in UK waters, according to the National Crime Agency, which worked with the government to detain the ship.

The 192-foot vessel, called Phi, was detained by authorities in Canary Wharf, a business district in east London, according to a government statement sent to Insider. Phi was in London for a superyacht awards ceremony and was planning to set sail at midday on Tuesday, the government said.

The UK government didn't reveal the name of the owner – apart from mentioning the person was a Russian businessman and saying that the yacht, valued at £38 million ($49.9 million), was impounded as part of sanctions against Russia.

The NCA said in a statement on Tuesday that Phi's owner was "deliberately well hidden" and the person hadn't been sanctioned by the UK.

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According to documents seen by The Financial Times on Tuesday, the yacht is owned by Vitaly Vasilievich Kochetkov, the founder of mobile network Motiv Telecom. 

Motiv Telecom didn't immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

Kochetkov also owns two other superyachts, Aurelia and Phi Phantom, per the documents seen by the FT. These yachts are both docked in the port of Imperia in Italy, a person familiar with the matter confirmed to Insider.

The NCA said Phi was registered to a company based in Saint Kitts and Nevis in the Caribbean, and it carried a Maltese flag "to hide its origins."

—Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP (@grantshapps) March 29, 2022

Phi was initially identified as potentially being Russian on March 13, the government said, adding that a subsequent investigation resulted in the yacht being seized.

The superyacht, built by Dutch boat builder Royal Huisman, can accommodate a total of 23 guests and crew, according to SuperYacht Times . It has a fresh-water swimming pool and a wine cellar, the UK government said.

"Today we've detained a £38m superyacht and turned an icon of Russia's power and wealth into a clear and stark warning to Putin and his cronies," UK Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said in the statement.

"Detaining the Phi , proves, yet again, that we can and will take the strongest possible action against those seeking to benefit from Russian connections," Shapps added.

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Superyacht detained in London under Russia sanctions, says Shapps

Vessel owned by Russian businessman is first to be held in UK after invasion of Ukraine

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A £38m superyacht owned by an unnamed Russian businessman has been detained in Canary Wharf in London as part of sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine .

The vessel, known as Phi, is subject to the first detention of a superyacht in UK waters, the National Crime Agency (NCA) said, and its owner was “deliberately well hidden”. The company to which the ship is registered is based in the islands of Saint Kitts and Nevis and it carried Maltese flags to hide its origins, the NCA said.

The law does not require proof or suspicion the owner is closely tied to the Putin regime, merely they are a Russian national, sources told the Guardian, and the owner is understood not to be an individual facing sanctions.

Guy Booth, a New Zealander based in Brighton, is captain of Phi and has posted several pictures of the vessel on his Instagram feed.

Booth, an experienced superyacht seaman, was appointed as “owner’s representative” and “build captain” to oversee the construction of the yacht in 2019, according to his LinkedIn profile. Booth did not respond to requests for comment on the identity of the owner.

Booth has previously said the owner proposed “thousands of crazy ideas” for what he wanted from the yacht , including a “penthouse” apartment on the upper deck.

“From the early days, it was fairly clear that this owner’s vision would take a unique combination of some extraordinary skills,” Booth said in 2020 . “The owner knew that he wanted a deep, intelligent and thought-provoking core concept, that reflects elements of several great personal interests.”

In November, Booth posted a photo of the yacht with the caption “MY Phi just started the first day of trials” when the boat completed its first openwater tests in the North Sea.

The yacht was designed by the Dutch superyacht designer Cor D Rover, which has previously said: “Rather than just building a large yacht on a so-called shipyard ‘platform’ to enjoy the pleasures of being at sea, the owner of Phi wanted to build a yacht with a profound underlying story, a deep-rooted knowledge that runs through all aspects of the yacht, from her exterior appearance all the way to internal experience.”

The yacht was in London for a World Superyacht Awards judging panel event that took place on Monday at the five-star Bulgari Hotel in Knightsbridge. It had been planning to depart at noon on Tuesday.

The Guardian has approached Booth for comment.

Officers from the NCA’s “combating kleptocracy cell” served the detention notice after identifying the owner with support from the Border Force maritime intelligence bureau and passing the information to the transport secretary, Grant Shapps .

At 58.5 metres long, Phi is the third biggest yacht built by the prestigious shipbuilders Royal Huisman and includes what the builders call an “infinite wine cellar” and patented fresh-water swimming pool.

Shapps, said impounding the vessel had “turned an icon of Russia’s power and wealth into a clear and stark warning to Putin and his cronies … Detaining the Phi, proves, yet again, that we can and will take the strongest possible action against those seeking to benefit from Russian connections,” he said.

Phi – named after the 21st letter of the Greek alphabet, used to symbolise the golden ratio – made its maiden voyage last year after being built in the Netherlands.

Shapps said: “Now the ship is being held, it won’t be going anywhere … it’s just another indication that we will not stand by whilst Putin’s cronies are allowed to sail around the world in these kinds of yachts and people in Ukraine are suffering. When you see what he’s doing to Ukraine, when you see what he’s doing to people’s lives, it can’t be right to have a yacht like this here in London , able to just sail away and that is why we’ve impounded it, and denied it the ability to go anywhere right now, and it’s another indication of how seriously we take these matters.”

The prime minister’s official spokesperson said: “For the first time ever in UK waters we have detained a Russian super-yacht, the £38m Phi. The Department for Transport (DfT) has worked closely with the National Crime Agency and Border Force maritime investigation bureau to intercept this superyacht. We will continue to take robust action against anyone benefiting from Russian links.”

The Department for Transport said it was looking at a number of other vessels and hoped its “strong stance sends an example to international partners”.

Up to 12 guests are accommodated onboard Phi, and it also has accommodation for 11 crew, including the captain, according to Super Yacht Times . The vessel was last sold in 2018.

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REVEALED: £38m superyacht seized in Canary Wharf is owned by Russian telecoms tycoon who ISN'T on the sanctions list as Brighton-based captain slams 'publicity stunt' and 'government overreach'

• UK officials boarded Phi - named after the mathematical concept - in Canary Wharf, east London, on Tuesday
• Vessel, which was due to depart at noon, is first to be detained in Britain as part of sanctions against Russia
• Grant Shapps said an 'icon of Russia's power and wealth' was turned into a 'clear and stark warning to Putin'
• Phi - a vibrant bright blue super-yacht - is double the size of the other boats docked around it at Canary Wharf  

By Danyal Hussain and Katie Weston For Mailonline

Published: 11:19 EDT, 30 March 2022 | Updated: 11:45 EDT, 30 March 2022

View comments

A 192ft and £38 million superyacht seized in Canary Wharf is owned by a Russian mobile network tycoon who is not on the UK sanctions list, it has been revealed. 

Officials boarded £38million Phi - named after the mathematical concept - in Canary Wharf on Tuesday. The vessel is the first to be detained in Britain under sanctions imposed due to the war in Ukraine .

Initially, the owner's name wasn't revealed and he was described as a businessman with an 'infinite wine cellar' and fresh-water swimming pool.

However, he has now been named as Vitaly Vasilievich Kochetkov, the founder of Motiv Telecom, a mobile phone network in the mineral-rich Urals region of Russia. 

He owns the superyacht through Portsmouth Maritime, a Kitts & Nevis company that controls a Malta-registered yacht charter business, Hexagon Yachting Limited. 

The Russian businessman also owns two other superyachts, named Aurelia and Phi Phantom, which are currently moored at Porto di Imperia in Italy, according to documents seen by the Financial Times.

The government said it had seized the vessel under the Russian sanctions regime, although Kochetkov is not currently on any sanctions list. 

In fact, Kochetkov appears to be at odds with Vladimir Putin, with Russian police opening a tax evasion criminal investigation  into the parent company of Motiv Telecom, Yekaterinburg-2000, in 2021. 

Phi made her maiden voyage last year after being built in the Netherlands. The vessel was in London for a superyacht awards ceremony and was due to depart at noon today. 

Captain Guy Booth later wrote online: 'This is a government overreach and nothing more than a publicity stunt.' Booth, a New Zealander based in Brighton was made 'build captain' of the yacht in 2019, according to his LinkedIn profile.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said on Tuesday: 'Today we've detained a £38 million superyacht and turned an icon of Russia's power and wealth into a clear and stark warning to  Putin and his cronies.

'Detaining the Phi proves, yet again, that we can and will take the strongest possible action against those seeking to benefit from connections to Putin's regime.' 

UK officials boarded £38million Phi - named after the mathematical concept - in Canary Wharf on Tuesday. The vessel is the first to be detained in Britain under sanctions imposed due to the war in Ukraine

Phi made her maiden voyage last year after being built in the Netherlands. The vessel was in London for a superyacht awards ceremony and was due to depart at noon today

Mr Shapps said: 'Today we've detained a £38 million superyacht and turned an icon of Russia's power and wealth into a clear and stark warning to Putin and his cronies'

Captain Guy Booth (pictured), a New Zealander based in Brighton, was made 'build captain' of the yacht in 2019, according to his LinkedIn profile. He wrote online: 'This is a government overreach and nothing more than a publicity stunt'

The Transport Secretary posted a picture of himself, above, stood in front of the yacht on Twitter, writing: 'This Government will continue to take robust action against anyone benefiting from connections to Putin's regime'

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The Department for Transport (DfT) said it worked with the National Crime Agency (NCA) and the Border Force Maritime Investigation Bureau to identify and detain the vessel.

It initially refused to reveal the name of her owner, stating that he is 'a Russian businessman'. The department described Phi's ownership as 'deliberately well hidden'.

It follows two private jets belonging to Eugene Shvidler, a billionaire oil businessman, being seized by UK authorities on Saturday after he was sanctioned over ties with his business partner Roman Abramovich.

Phi's owner is not currently subject to UK sanctions. But, under present regulations, a ship owned, controlled, chartered or operated by persons connected with Russia may be subject to a detention direction by the Transport Secretary.

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Intelligence work by the Cell - supported by colleagues from Border Force Maritime Intelligence Bureau - identified the ultimate owner of the vessel.

The information was passed to Mr Shapps who today ordered the first ever detention of a superyacht in UK waters. As a result NCA officers issued the notice of detention. 

Andy Devine, of the NCA, said: 'Today's activity demonstrates the NCA's ability to react at pace. 

'We have surged officers to establish the Combatting Kleptocracy Cell, and the results of this are already bearing fruit.

Mr Shapps (above) said: 'It was here for refit, won't be going anywhere, and it's just another indication that we will not stand by whilst Putin's cronies are allowed to sail around the world in these kinds of yachts and people in Ukraine are suffering'

The Department for Transport (DfT) said it worked with the National Crime Agency and the Border Force Maritime Investigation Bureau to identify and detain the vessel

She is registered to a company based in the Caribbean dual-island nation of Saint Kitts and Nevis, and carries a Maltese flag

'The NCA plays a vital role in targeting suspect assets, pursuing enablers of illicit wealth and supporting government partners in the delivery of the response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.'

Phi - a vibrant bright blue super-yacht - is 192ft long and features what is described as an 'infinite wine cellar' and a freshwater swimming pool. She is double the size of the other boats docked around it at Canary Wharf.

She is registered to a company based in the Caribbean dual-island nation of Saint Kitts and Nevis, and carries a Maltese flag 'to hide its origins'.

The DfT said it is 'looking at a number of other vessels' and hopes its 'strong stance sends an example to international partners'. 

Mr Shapps said: 'Now the ship is being held, it won't be going anywhere. 

'It was here for refit, won't be going anywhere, and it's just another indication that we will not stand by whilst Putin's cronies are allowed to sail around the world in these kinds of yachts and people in Ukraine are suffering. 

Phi - a vibrant bright blue super-yacht - is 192ft long and features what is described as an 'infinite wine cellar' and a freshwater swimming pool. She is double the size of the other boats docked around it at Canary Wharf

Phi's owner is not currently subject to UK sanctions. But, under current regulations, a ship owned, controlled, chartered or operated by persons connected with Russia may be subject to a detention direction by the Transport Secretary

'When you see what he's doing to Ukraine, when you see what he's doing to people's lives, it can't be right to have a yacht like this here in London, able to just sail away and that is why we've impounded it, and denied it ability to go anywhere right now, and it's another indication of how seriously we take these matters.'

The move comes after Italian police seized the world's biggest sailing yacht, the 470-foot Sailing Yacht A, from Russian billionaire Andrey Igorevich Melnichenko, the prime minister's office said on March 12.

Triesete, designed by Philippe Starck and built by Nobiskrug in German, was mentioned in Winston Churchill's Iron Curtain speech of March 5, 1946, when the war time leader outlined the front line of the Cold War. 

A spokesperson for Melnichenko, Alex Andreev, said the businessman had 'no relation to the tragic events in Ukraine. He has no political affiliations'. 

Russian oligarch Igor Sechin also saw his 289-ft 'Amore Vero' - meaning 'True Love' - seized by French custom officers near Marseille after being sanctioned by the European Union.

The move comes after Italian police seized the world's biggest sailing yacht, the 470-foot Sailing Yacht A, from Russian billionaire Andrey Igorevich Melnichenko (pictured right, with Abramovich), the prime minister's office said on March 12

Russian oligarch Igor Sechin (pictured above) also saw his 289-ft 'Amore Vero' - meaning 'True Love' - seized by French custom officers near Marseille after being sanctioned by the European Union

The Solaris is not as large as the Eclipse, a 533ft vessel. Abramovich has previously owned at least five other colossal yachts, with 162ft Sussurro the most recent to change hands around 2017

Meanwhile, fellow oligarch Abramovich saw one of his superyachts arrive safely in Montenegro earlier this month, where it is beyond the reach of UK, EU or US authorities.

His biggest yacht, Eclipse, slipped through the Strait of Gibraltar at 1.30pm, ensuring it remained outside the territory's waters. 

Abramovich cannot sell any of his UK assets including Chelsea FC without a special licence that can only be granted by ministers and the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI). 

Any cash he holds in the UK is frozen in accounts if he has not been able to transfer funds abroad, while his shares on the London Stock Exchange cannot be sold and will pay no dividends.

But despite these serious allegations, the law doesn't allow ministers to take away Chelsea, properties, yachts, planes, shares and cash. 

Currently, the Government has powers to freeze UK assets like houses, but it cannot seize them and put them to a different use. The rules in place prevent oligarchs from renting out or selling property they own, hiring someone to clean it or even paying a power company to connect it to the electricity supply or pay a bill.

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A seized superyacht shows up in Everett — minus one Russian oligarch owner

EVERETT — It’s not clear whether Russian oligarch Suleiman Kerimov had plans to visit Puget Sound this spring — the French Riviera is more the style of the U.S.-sanctioned mining and energy multibillionaire.

But Monday morning, the Amadea, a 348-foot, $300 million-plus superyacht said to be owned by Kerimov, arrived in the Port of Everett to have some work done at a local shipyard. 

A sleek, white shark of a ship with a knifelike bow, raked profile and quarters for 16 guests and 36 crew, Amadea swanned past Everett’s industrial waterfront with a tug escort and all the made-for-TV glamour of an international celebrity fugitive. Kerimov, of course, was not on board.

In 2022, Amadea (“God’s love” in Latin) was seized in Fiji at the request of U.S. authorities who claim Kerimov has enabled Russian aggression in Ukraine and Syria. Money laundering and conspiracy were also alleged.

At the time, the seizure was hailed as a warning to “every corrupt Russian oligarch that they cannot hide — not even in the remotest part of the world,” as a deputy U.S. attorney general put it in a press statement . 

But as any boat owner in this boat-focused community will tell you , seizing a superyacht is one thing. Maintaining its value as an asset is another — especially when the asset is the size of a ferry and equipped with a theater, a gym, beauty salon, teak decks, 30-foot-long pool, helipad and twin 5,766-horsepower diesels. 

“They’re saying it’s costing us $7 million a year to keep it up,” said Chris Petersen, a retired fisherman who runs a metal coatings shop on West Marine View Drive, a few blocks from the port and who, like many here, has been following the superyacht saga since Monday.

Indeed, fuel, maintenance, insurance and salary for the crew of Amadea during its impoundment in San Diego ran around $740,000 a month, according to federal court filings by the Marshals Service. 

In February, the Justice Department told a federal court it intended to halt this “excessive … drain on the public” purse by auctioning off Amadea, which the government claims Kerimov acquired in 2021.

But selling off this excessive drain has been complicated. 

There is litigation challenging Amadea’s seizure because the vessel allegedly wasn’t owned by Kerimov, but by another Russian oligarch, who is not sanctioned, according to court papers. 

Another complication, more relevant to Everett: Amadea’s insurance policy, according to court filings, requires service that can only be done by hauling the vessel out of the water — a job that appears to be slated for the dry dock facilities at Everett Ship Repair, on the port’s East Waterway. 

Few details of the project have been shared. Port officials have referred all questions to Everett Ship Repair, whose vice president of service sales, Lane Richards, politely declined to comment.

But a Justice Department spokesperson confirmed Thursday that Amadea was indeed “in Washington for standard dry dock maintenance.”

And on Wednesday, the vessel in question could be seen berthed, like a slightly lost Imperial Starship, on the south side of Pier 3, adjacent to Everett Ship Repair’s dry dock and the Washington State Ferry Salish. 

All the no-commenting has only added to the atmosphere of maritime intrigue and speculation in a town ordinarily unperturbed by big, secrecy-shrouded ships, including those at the nearby Everett Naval Station. 

Many here wonder why the U.S. government spent the money to bring Amadea all the way to Everett, when there are dry dock facilities in San Diego, San Francisco and Portland; even Seattle is 5 nautical miles closer to San Diego. 

Amadea’s fuel burn “is probably in the 8-to-10 gallons per mile range,” said Dennis Butterfield, a retired car dealership manager and former boat owner, as he kept an eye on the Russian superyacht Wednesday from a viewpoint on Warren Avenue. “That’s the United States government at work, if you ask me.”

Butterfield’s estimate was close: based on vessel specifications featured on the yachting website, YachCharterFleet , the 4,400-ton Amadea burns roughly 11 gallons per mile at a cruising speed of 15 mph.

The Justice Department declined to justify Amadea’s four-day journey from San Diego to Everett.

Such secrecy would likely suit Kerimov, who Forbes once described as “one of the most private Russian billionaires,” and who is also said to have close ties to the government of Russian President Vladimir Putin. The 58-year-old serves in the Russian Federation Senate, is reportedly worth nearly $11 billion and has owned villas on the French Riviera and elsewhere.

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He may also have owned a rare Fabergé egg, according to accounts of the search of the Amadea after its seizure .

Beginning in 2017, Kerimov was listed by U.S. officials as one of a number of Russian oligarchs “who profit from the Russian government through corruption and its malign activity around the globe .”

In March 2022, after the FBI reportedly linked Kerimov to the Amadea , the vessel was seized under a program known as Task Force KleptoCapture and eventually sailed to San Diego under an American flag.

But Amadea’s more recent trip likely had less to do with the vessel’s checkered lineage than with a shortage of West Coast dry dock capacity, especially for large vessels. 

Unlike the East Coast and the Gulf Coast, ship repair infrastructure on the West Coast is “is woefully undersized,” said Craig Hooper, a former naval ship building industry executive who writes and advises on security and defense issues.

In recent decades, several private shipyards with dry dock facilities have closed and building new capacity faces high costs and regulatory hurdles, Hooper said. As a result, “long transits to an open facility are relatively commonplace these days,” he added. 

In the case of the Amadea, Hooper hypothesized, “the responsible party may have put the job out for bid and an Everett yard was the available, lowest-cost option.”

According to court filings, Amadea’s dry dock work is expected to cost $5.6 million and take two months. 

By that time, federal officials may have sorted Amadea’s other complications. 

Last fall, attorneys for Eduard Khudainatov, the former head of state-owned oil company Rosneft, claimed Amadea isn’t owned by Kerimov, but by Khudainatov. Attorneys argue that since Khudainatov wasn’t under sanctions, the yacht was “not forfeitable, as it neither constitutes nor is derived from any unlawful activity.”

But federal prosecutors contend “that Khudainatov is just a straw owner put forward to disguise Kerimov’s ownership of the vessel,” according to an April 19 filing in a federal court in New York, where the case is ongoing.

In the meantime, Everett will take some pleasure in the Amadea’s august presence. 

Port of Everett officials, though tight-lipped about the vessel’s particulars, were clearly pleased by the message it sends of the port’s growing status as a maritime hub.

“Anything that puts Everett on the international map is a good thing!” said Kate Anderson, port spokesperson, in an email response to an inquiry about the Amadea.

Locals, too, appeared to be enjoying the celebrity by association.

“That magnitude of wealth — it’s just another world,” said Petersen, the retired fisherman.

Others wondered who would be foolish enough to buy a vessel whose ownership was being contested by Russian oligarchs.

But mostly, folks here appeared to sympathize with Uncle Sam’s desire to be rid of the costly, controversial craft. 

That was the sentiment of John Mostrom, who had taken a break from mowing his lawn Wednesday to peer down at the Amadea from the Warren Avenue overlook. 

“They say the two happiest days of a boat owner’s life,” Mostrom noted, “are when they buy the boat and when they sell it.”

The opinions expressed in reader comments are those of the author only and do not reflect the opinions of The Seattle Times.

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The man leading Russia's war in Ukraine is out in a surprise shake-up hinting at Putin’s true focus

Sergei Shoigu seemed to have survived. 

The man leading Vladimir Putin ‘s war in Ukraine was looking relaxed just last week as he appeared in uniform at the Russian leader’s fifth inauguration ceremony and then at Moscow’s annual Victory Day parade .

But on Sunday he was removed as defense minister, the post he had held on to for more than a decade despite a rebel mutiny , a corruption scandal and a calamitous start to the full-scale invasion of Russia’s neighbor.

The most dramatic shake-up in Russia’s military leadership since the war in Ukraine started in February 2022, the move was made all the more surprising by the fact that Russian forces recently seized the initiative on the battlefield and launched a new offensive in the north after a number of gains in Ukraine’s east. 

Shoigu, a close Putin confidant who was once one of the most popular politicians in Russia and deemed unsackable, has been the focus of criticism about how the war has been conducted.

Observers of the Kremlin said Monday that the decision to remove him — and replace him with a civilian economist — could betray Putin’s frustration with how the war has gone and his determination to ensure Russia is prepared for a long fight with Ukraine and its Western allies.

“It’s another indication that Putin is prepared to fight a long war in Ukraine and make the Russian economy sacrifice whatever may be necessary to do so,” Michael Clarke, visiting professor of war studies at King’s College London, told NBC News. 

Gone fishing

Shoigu’s role and importance in the Ukraine fight so far is hard to underestimate. 

A senior European intelligence official told NBC News last year that he was among a small number of officials central to planning the invasion of Ukraine, signifying the scale of the break that Putin is making with how the Kremlin has operated. Shoigu has long been one of Putin’s closest allies, with their friendship on public display as the two men took frequent fishing trips to Siberia.

Shoigu has not been dispensed with entirely, though. He has been appointed the secretary of Russia’s national security council, an important position but one that could serve as a comfortable retirement post for a trusted Putin ally. It goes along with the Russian leader’s habit of rarely firing people in his inner circle outright.

He replaces another prominent figure, Nikolai Patrushev . A former Federal Security Service director who has had Putin’s ear for years, Patrushev will be appointed to a new job that the Kremlin has not yet announced. He is an ardent war supporter known for his strong anti-Western views, and his son Dmitry — tipped by some as a possible “new generation” candidate for the top job — was promoted in the reshuffle. 

After scathing criticism from late Wagner mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin and Russia’s powerful military bloggers following a series of embarrassing military retreats in late 2022, Russia’s Defense Ministry has enjoyed success thwarting Ukraine’s vaunted counteroffensive last summer, and recent advances across the front lines as Ukraine awaits U.S. aid amid severe ammunition and manpower shortages .  

But Shoigu’s fate has been a subject of rampant speculation since the disastrous start to the war and Prigozhin’s aborted attempt to topple him last year. That only intensified in recent weeks after the detention of one of his deputies and allies, Timur Ivanov , in one of the highest-profile corruption scandals Russia has seen in years. 

The role change is Putin’s way of “taking Shoigu out of the game so as not to offend him, with maximum honors,” Tatiana Stanovaya, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and the founder and head of the political analysis firm R.Politik, wrote on Telegram. 

“Not because he is a friend, but because it is safer for Putin himself,” Stanovaya said. 

Still, Shoigu’s presence at the helm of the national security council could also mean the presence of someone less hawkish in that role, and “at least one may hope that he would not argue for further escalation,” said Mark Galeotti, director of the London-based Mayak Intelligence consultancy. 

“In any case, none of this signals a change in political direction,” Galeotti wrote in his analysis in The Spectator on Monday . “If anything, the opposite: as Putin digs in for the long term, with the ‘special military operation’ now being the central organising principle of his regime, he knows he needs technocrats to keep his war machine going.”

An economist running the war

Coming in to replace Shoigu is a figure established in the Kremlin’s circles but largely unfamiliar to wider audiences, especially in the West. 

Andrei Belousov, 65, is a civilian economist who served as the first deputy prime minister in the government that was reshuffled after Putin’s inauguration last week. He has also served as Putin’s economic aide and minister of economic development in the past. 

The Kremlin’s official framing of his appointment is that Russia is approaching a situation that the Soviet Union faced in the mid-1980s during the Cold War, when the military and law enforcement accounted for a 7.4% share of the economy . 

That means it’s vital that wartime spending in today’s Russia is firmly integrated into the country’s economy, “such that it corresponds to the dynamics of the present moment,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters Sunday, explaining Putin’s choice. 

It makes sense, Galeotti wrote, because “the defence minister, especially in time of war, is essentially an administrator, there to ensure that the military has the men and materiel it needs,” which makes Belousov “an unexpected but logical choice.” 

It could signal that Putin is formally preparing for a war that will drag on for many more years, analysts said. 

His original plan, which the Kremlin still calls “a special military operation,” intended to capture Ukraine in weeks. But the war is now into its third year, and the Kremlin needs to fully militarize not just Russian society but also the country’s economy if it is to produce the equipment needed to keep fighting given the scale of Russian losses. 

While Russia has significantly ramped up domestic military production, Western sanctions have forced it to turn to countries like China, North Korea and Iran for weapons supplies. But with the shake-up, Putin appears to be determined to win the long war by harnessing Russia’s economy to outproduce the West, while reconstituting the whole country around the war.

Ukraine already endured months of congressional battles over new military aid, has seen some of its European partners express mounting weariness, and faces the uncertainty of a possible Donald Trump presidency.

But while Putin’s focus may have been on the big picture, his new defense minister was focused on a domestic audience Monday.

Belousov underlined the need to take better care of Russia’s soldiers, including better access to housing, medical care and benefits — a likely attempt by the new civilian chief to appease the men in uniform fighting Putin’s war.

Yuliya Talmazan is a reporter for NBC News Digital, based in London.

Keir Simmons is chief international correspondent for NBC News, based in London.

Natasha Lebedeva is NBC's Senior Director for International Affairs, based in Washington.

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Watch CBS News

Boxer Sherif Lawal dies after being knocked out in professional debut in London

Updated on: May 14, 2024 / 7:24 AM EDT / CBS/AP

A British boxer has died after he lost on his professional debut in London, officials said.

Sherif Lawal was knocked down by a blow to the head from Malam Varela in the fourth round of a scheduled six-round middleweight fight on Sunday at Harrow Leisure Centre. The referee waved it off to allow paramedics to attend to Lawal. He was taken to hospital but died. He was 29.

"The British Boxing Board of Control sends their condolences to the family of Sherifdeen Lawal following his tragic passing after his Boxing contest on Sunday," the board posted on social media on Monday. "The thoughts of all those involved in Boxing in Great Britain are with them at this difficult time."

Warren Boxing Management wrote on social media : "We would like to send our condolences to all of Sherif's family, friends, coaches and all those close to him at this tragic time."

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Warren Boxing Management (@warrenboxingmanagement)

Other boxers have died from blows suffered in the ring in recent years.  In 2021, 18-year-old Mexican boxer Jeanette Zacarias Zapata died five days after she was knocked out and injured in a Montreal ring.

In 2019, 27-year-old boxer Patrick Day died after suffering a traumatic brain injury from a violent knockout in a fight in Chicago. That same year, 28-year-old Russian welterweight prospect Maxim Dadashev and 23-year-old Argentine lightweight Hugo Alfredo Santillan died of injuries suffered inside the ring. 

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Russian Forces Push Deeper Into Northern Ukraine

A Ukrainian military unit said that its troops were forced to retreat from several positions and that one settlement had been captured by Russian forces.

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By Jeffrey Gettleman and Constant Méheut

Jeffrey Gettleman reported from Kharkiv, Ukraine, and Constant Méheut from Kyiv.

Russian forces continued their advance across northeastern Ukraine on Sunday, seizing a number of small settlements along the border and forcing Ukrainian troops to retreat from some positions, according to the Russian and Ukrainian militaries, as well as aid workers.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said on Sunday that its troops had captured four more settlements — all but one located directly north of Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second largest city — as they pressed ahead with a new offensive launched on Friday . Aid workers confirmed that Russian troops had advanced deeper inside Ukrainian territory and were now threatening several small towns on the outskirts of Kharkiv.

A Ukrainian military unit fighting in the area said the Russian forces were pushing hard from the Russia-Ukraine border toward Kharkiv.

“Today, during heavy fighting, our defenders were forced to withdraw from a few more of their positions, and today, another settlement has come completely under Russian control,” said a video statement released on Saturday night by Hostri Kartuzy, a Ukrainian special forces unit. “The Russians are dying in droves. But they are pressing on regardless and succeeding in some areas.”

Gen. Oleksandr Syrsky , Ukraine’s top military commander, said that the situation in the Kharkiv region had “significantly worsened” this past week, but that Russian attempts to break through Ukrainian defensive lines had been unsuccessful so far.

Ukraine’s outnumbered and outgunned troops were already stretched thin trying to defend a 600-mile front running from south of Kharkiv to the city of Kherson on the Black Sea. By opening a new front north of Kharkiv, the Russian army aims to further stretch the Ukrainian lines and make it easier to break through at certain points, military experts say.

“The Russians have understood, just as a lot of analysts have, that the major disadvantage that Ukraine is currently suffering from is manpower,” said Franz-Stefan Gady, a Vienna-based military analyst. “By thinning out the frontline, you are increasing the odds of a breakthrough.”

Mr. Gady and other experts said the immediate objective of the new Russian offensive was to force the Ukrainian army to draw away troops that are critically needed south of Kharkiv, particularly around the embattled town of Chasiv Yar , a Ukrainian stronghold in the southeastern Donetsk region.

Russian forces have been assaulting Chasiv Yar for several weeks. The capture of the stronghold would put several towns critical to Ukrainian military logistics on the eastern front directly in Moscow’s line of fire.

With fighting raging in the area, cross-border fire has intensified and Russia accused Ukraine on Sunday of hitting a multistory building in the Russian city of Belgorod, about 45 miles from Kharkiv. Vyacheslav Gladkov , the governor of the Belgorod region, said that 19 people had been injured in the shelling of the city, and that no deaths had been reported yet.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said fragments from an intercepted Ukrainian missile had struck the building. Mr. Gladkov posted a video from the scene showing an enormous hole in a building. “The entire entrance from the tenth to the first floor collapsed,” he said.

The claims could not be independently verified, and Ukrainian officials did not immediately comment on the strike.

Russian forces launched a complex, surprise offensive on Friday, deploying fighter jets, artillery units, infantry and armor, surging across the northeastern frontier between Russia and Ukraine.

Russian troops quickly seized dozens of square miles of Ukrainian territory. Civilians living in the small towns and country villages along the border have been caught in the crossfire, and many are desperately trying to escape. More than 4,000 people have been evacuated, Kharkiv’s governor said on Sunday morning . Some of them were extracted with their pets. Others have been taken out on stretchers.

All day Saturday, small vans and even bright yellow school buses rumbled over deeply cratered roads littered with bomb shrapnel to rescue people who were trapped in towns that had come under intense shelling. On Sunday, people who had evacuated were pleading with their loved ones still in the border villages to leave. Svitlana Nahorna said her husband was trapped in Bilyi Kolodiaz, a small village northeast of Kharkiv. “I’ve been pleading with him to leave, but he refused,” she said while in a shelter for displaced people in Kharkiv. “We’re afraid whether it’s even possible to get him out now.”

In addition to trying to distract the thinly stretched Ukrainian forces from the contested battlefields of eastern Ukraine, military analysts believe that the Russians are also trying to carve out a buffer zone along the border to make it more difficult for Ukrainian forces to launch artillery into Russia. The Russians might also be trying to get close enough to Kharkiv to shell it and sow panic, as they did in the early days of the war in 2022, analysts say.

Mykola Bielieskov, a military analyst at the government-run National Institute for Strategic Studies in Ukraine, said a buffer zone of 10 to 15 kilometers deep into Ukrainian territory “for sure would create problem for Kharkiv by putting the city within the range of” Russia’s artillery.

It remains unclear whether Russia will succeed in its goal of drawing away enough Ukrainian troops from other sections of the front. Ukrainian officials said they had sent reinforcements to the Kharkiv region, without specifying how many units.

Mr. Bielieskov said Russia had not yet committed enough troops to the Kharkiv offensive “to create real dilemmas for Ukraine’s military command and force a major redeployment from other parts of the front.”

Still, President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine seemed to hit a note of increasing concern in an address on Saturday . Citing all of the combat engagements in eastern Ukraine, he added, “It’s extremely difficult.”

In a similar tone, the British foreign secretary, David Cameron, warned on British television on Sunday that the situation around Kharkiv was “extremely dangerous.”

Jeffrey Gettleman is an international correspondent based in London covering global events. He has worked for The Times for more than 20 years. More about Jeffrey Gettleman

Constant Méheut reports on the war in Ukraine, including battlefield developments, attacks on civilian centers and how the war is affecting its people. More about Constant Méheut