Russian-Linked Superyacht Crosses Strait of Hormuz Despite Blockade

Rare private transit highlights selective movement through key energy corridor amid ongoing tensions. Make us preferred on Google Share Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Bluesky Email Copy Copied The 142-metre luxury yacht Nord, reportedly owned by Russian tycoon Alexei Mordashov, arrives in the far eastern city of Vladivostok on March 31, 2022. (Photo by Pavel KOROLYOV / AFP) Content Share Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Bluesky Email Copy Copied Flip Make us preferred on Google A luxury superyacht linked to a sanctioned Russian billionaire passed through the Strait of Hormuz despite an ongoing blockade, underscoring inconsistencies in maritime restrictions during the Iran conflict. BBC reported on Tuesday, April 28, that the 142-meter yacht Nord, associated with Russian oligarch Alexey Mordashov, sailed from Dubai to Muscat, Oman over the weekend. Follow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official . Data from maritime tracking platforms shows the vessel departed Dubai late Friday and arrived at a marina in Oman’s capital on Sunday. It is among a small number of private vessels that have passed through the Strait of Hormuz in recent months, as most commercial and private shipping has avoided the route due to security risks. Mordashov, one of Russia’s richest businessmen and chairman of steel giant Severstal, has been under Western sanctions since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. While he is not formally listed as the yacht’s owner, records show the vessel is registered to a company linked to his wife. The yacht, estimated to be worth more than $500 million, is equipped with luxury features including a swimming pool, submarine, and helipad. It is unclear whether Mordashov was on board during the voyage. The transit comes amid sharply reduced maritime traffic through the Gulf, with shipping volumes falling well below pre-war levels. The disruption has contributed to rising global energy prices, with Brent crude climbing above $100 per barrel in recent days. Other Topics of Interest What to Make of Germany’s New Military Strategy? German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) has presented a military strategy that aims to make the Bundeswehr ‘Europe’s strongest conventional army’, and explicitly named Russia as a threat. Iran has continued to restrict access to the waterway following a US-imposed naval blockade targeting Iranian ports, part of the broader confrontation between Washington and Tehran. Russia has strengthened its ties with Iran amid the ongoing conflict. Vladimir Putin met Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in St. Petersburg on Monday , expressing support for Tehran and highlighting the countries’ “strategic partnership.” Moscow has backed Iran diplomatically and offered assistance, including proposals to store Iran’s enriched uranium as part of efforts to ease tensions. Despite cooperation, analysts say the relationship remains pragmatic, with both sides seeking to advance their interests amid continued uncertainty over negotiations with the United States. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization since 1995. Its international market reach of 97% outside of Ukraine makes it truly Ukraine’s Global – and most reliable – Voice.