PARIS: French authorities have seized a yacht they linked to Rosneft boss Igor Sechin – a close ally of Russian president Vladimir Putin – in the Mediterranean port of La Ciotat, finance minister Bruno Le Maire said today.
The move came as western states are implementing massive sanctions, including asset freezes, against Russia for starting a war against its neighbour Ukraine.
“Thanks to the French customs officers who are enforcing the European Union’s sanctions against those close to the Russian government”, Le Maire said in a Tweet.
A finance ministry press said the yacht was owned by an entity of which Sechin had been identified as the main shareholder.
Separately, French authorities today also seized another cargo vessel in the port of Loiret, Brittany, which was also linked to Russian interests.