ITALIAN authorities said today they had “frozen” a €530-million (RM2.51-billion) yacht linked to Russian oligarch Andrei Melnichenko, who has been sanctioned by the European Union over the Ukraine war.

The SY A, located in the northeast port of Trieste, is said to be the largest private sailing-assisted motor yacht in the world.

Italy’s financial crimes police said it had been found to be “indirectly attributable, through a company based in Bermuda, to Andrei Melnichenko”.

The multi-billionaire coal-and-fertiliser magnate was named earlier this week on a European Union blacklist, subject to an assets freeze and visa ban.

Earlier this month, Italy seized Russian oligarch assets worth around €140 million, including the €65-million Lady M Yacht belonging to metals magnate Alexei Mordashov. – AFP, March 12, 2022.