In response to the invasion of Ukraine, the U.S. announced Thursday it is targeting some of Russia's wealthiest men — and seeking to take their opulent possessions, such as a "superyacht" worth as much as $735 million.
The State Department and the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control named a host of oligarchs, their family members and other Russian organizations, all with close ties to President Vladimir Putin.
At the top of the list was mining and mineral magnate Alisher Usmanov and his floating palace, the Dilbar.
U.S. authorities said they want to seize the superyacht, which has two helipads and one of the world's largest indoor pools on a boat.
The Cayman Islands-flagged vessel is believed to be worth $600 million to $735 million.
“Treasury is committed to holding Russian elites to account for their support of President Putin’s war of choice,” Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said in a statement.
“Today, across the U.S. government and in coordination with partners and allies, we are demonstrating our commitment to impose massive costs on Putin’s closest confidants and their family members and freeze their assets in response to the brutal attack on Ukraine. We also continue to target Russia’s destabilizing disinformation efforts.”
The sanctions list also includes the energy tycoon Nikolay Tokarev, his real estate executive daughter, Maiya Tokareva, the businessman Yevgeniy Prigozhin and several companies responsible for disinformation, officials said.
