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Spain impounds another yacht linked to a Russian oligarch

Spanish authorities Tuesday impounded a second yacht believed to belong to a Russian oligarch as part of European Union sanctions over the Ukraine war.

Published: 15 March 2022 16:55 CET
Spain impounds another yacht linked to a Russian oligarch
This photograph taken on March 15, 2022 shows the 48m long, St Vincent and the Grenadines-flagged yacht "Lady Anastasia" moored at a dock in Puerto Adriano in Calvia, on the island of Mallorca. - Spanish authorities seized a second yacht in the Balearic archipelago on March 15, and are seeking to prove that it belongs to a Russian oligarch targeted by European sanctions imposed after the invasion of Ukraine, the Ministry of Transport announced. (Photo by JAIME REINA / AFP)

The 48-metre-long yacht named Lady Anastasia cannot leave a marina on the Mediterranean island of Mallorca while police determine if it “belongs or is under the control of” someone on the EU sanctions list, the transport ministry said in a statement.

The authorities suspect it belongs to Russian tycoon Alexander Mikheev, who heads Russian weapon exporting group Rosoboronexport, a police source said.

Rosoboronexport is a subsidiary of Russian defence firm Rostec, owned by Sergei Chemezov, an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The freezing of the Lady Anastasia comes after Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said late on Monday in a television interview that police had impounded a 85-metre-long yacht worth $140 million in Barcelona.

The premier did not give further details, but daily newspaper El Pais said the yacht is named Valeria and it belongs to Chemezov.

Both Chemezov and Mikheev are on the European Union’s list of Russian tycoons targeted by sanctions imposed by the European Union following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24th.

Last month police arrested a Ukrainian crew member of the Lady Anastasia after he tried to sink the yacht in revenge for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, local police said.

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UKRAINE

Spain against deploying EU troops to Ukraine

Spain on Tuesday said it was against any deployment of European troops in Ukraine after France's Emmanuel Macron refused to rule out sending Western soldiers.

Published: 27 February 2024 15:47 CET
Spain against deploying EU troops to Ukraine

“As to whether we are in favour of deploying European troops to Ukraine, we’ve already made our position clear and we do not agree,” said government spokeswoman Pilar Alegría.

“We must concentrate on the most urgent thing, which is to speed up the delivery of (military) equipment” to Kyiv, she said, saying “unity” was Europe’s “most effective weapon” against Russia’s Vladimir Putin.

Macron triggered a shockwave late on Monday by refusing to rule out the dispatch of Western ground troops to Ukraine in its fight against the Russian invasion.

“There is no consensus today to send ground troops… but nothing should be excluded. We will do whatever it takes to ensure that Russia cannot win this war,” he said.

He refused to say more about France’s position, citing the need for “strategic ambiguity” but saying the issue was mentioned among the options”.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico was quoted as saying some EU and NATO members were weighing the option.

“Many people who say ‘never, ever’ today were the same people who said ‘never tanks, never planes, never long-range missiles’ two years ago” when Russia invaded, said Macron. “Let us have the humility to note that we have often been six to twelve months late.”

Earlier, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz also rejected the idea of European or NATO countries sending troops to Ukraine.

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