European authorities continue to seize superyachts belonging to Russian oligarchs

MADRID - Authorities in Gibraltar seized a superyacht belonging to a notorious Russian billionaire on March 21, local media reported. 

In recent footage obtained by Storyful, the ship, the Axioma was seen arriving at a dock in the British overseas territory. 

ThE footage shows the Axioma coming in to dock in the British overseas territory. The vessel was reportedly seized for its ties to Dmitry Pumpyansky, owner of Russian steel company TMK.

The 240-foot boat has an estimated value of $75 million. It is among several superyachts to have been seized following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. 

Authorities in Italy, France and other countries have impounded several luxury vessels as a global crackdown in response to Russia military assault on its European neighbor.

Earlier this month, Spanish authorities ordered for a separate luxury yacht believed to be owned by a Russian oligarch to not leave its ports.

Spain’s Civil Guard has acted on orders from maritime authorities to not let the "Crescent" superyacht leave the port of Tarragona, police told The Associated Press.

The 135-meter yacht is reportedly owned by Igor Sechin, the head of Russian oil company Rosneft. The European Union has placed sanctions on Sechin because he is "one of Vladimir Putin’s most trusted and closest advisors, as well as his personal friend."

This follows orders by Spanish authorities to hold the "Valerie" in Barcelona’s port and "Lady Anastasia" in Mallorca earlier this week, police said.

All three vessels are believed to be owned by Russian magnates with close ties to Putin.

Another superyacht owned by Russian oligarch Vladimir Strzhalkovsky, a former KGB agent and longtime ally of Vladimir Putin has been stuck at a Norwegian port because no one will sell it fuel.

"The yacht Ragnar has been unable to leave Norway due to discrimination from local fuel suppliers, who refuse to fuel Ragnar yacht," the ship’s British captain, Rob Lancaster, wrote on a flyer in Narvik Port, according to the Norwegian public broadcaster NRK. "The yacht and its ultimate beneficial owner are on no European or UK sanction list, so we find the discrimination towards us, extremely unjust."

The 220-foot boat was originally built as an ice-breaking support vessel for the fossil fuel industry in 2012, but was refitted into a yacht in 2020 and now features elaborate interiors, jetskis, an amphibious ATV, and a helideck.

Several lawmakers have called on the Norwegian government to seize the superyacht, but it sits stranded for now in Narvik Port, a harbor located in northern Norway.

The Associated Press and Fox News contributed to this story. It was reported from Los Angeles.