Zelensky urges Italy to seize mystery yacht
Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian President, has urged Italy to seize a mystery yacht worth some $700 million that has been linked to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
In an address to the Italian parliament, Zelensky said Putin and his wealthy backers often went to Italy on holiday and should have all their assets frozen to put pressure on them to end the invasion of Ukraine.
“Don’t be a resort for murderers. Block all their real estate, accounts and yachts – from the Scheherazade to the smallest ones,” he said, referring to a superyacht that is moored in the Italian port of Marina di Carrara.
The owner has never been publicly identified, but there have been insistent rumours in the media that it belongs to Putin or a member of his inner circle.
An organisation set up by the imprisoned Alexei Navalny, a fierce Putin critic, released a report on Monday saying it had evidence that the boat belonged to the Russian leader.