The sumptuous interior of a sanctioned Russian oligarch’s yacht was exposed after customs officers were so aghast at the on board luxury that they posted a video on social media.
Sanctioned Alexei Mordashov’s $500 million floating palace Nord took cover in Vladivostok after he feared it would be seized in the Seychelles.
Normally Moscow’s Billionaire Set ply the waters of more exotic locations, and the sight of the 465ft Nord has stunned locals in Russia ’s Pacific capital.
They are rushing to take selfies with the elite vessel, and customs officers who inspected the ship on arrival in port.
They were escorted around the ship by one of the crew, wearing shorts.
The video shows how well 56-year-old oligarch Mordashov - worth $21.2 billion according to Forbes - has done since he graduated from Northumbria University in England.
"We can see the interiors of several decks, Toyota Land Cruiser Prado cars, all-terrain vehicles, jet skis, motor boats, and a bathyscaphe,” said one local media account.
On a tour of the ship, a customs officer looks inside the 5-star facilities and says: “Business class room.”
The crew member corrects him saying: "First class”.
A customs man inspects one of several drinks cabinets, and comments disapprovingly: “No Russian vodka.”
The oligarch’s study was shown, and a shower room and pantry.
Mordashov is the main owner of Severstal, Russia’s largest steel and mining company.
Due to the video, the smart interior of the ocean-going yacht with its own swimming pool has been exposed for all to see.
“This is how the wealthy live even when they’re sanctioned,” said one comment.
“Mordashov won’t get any sympathy here.”
Andrey Prokopchuk, a trade unionist, said: "Previously, serious guys used to tattoo the word ‘North’ [Nord] on their arms.”
It meant they had served time in a jail in Siberia or the Arctic.
“Today our serious boys have changed and named their mega-yachts like this.”
Others were more sympathetic.
"I am amazed at the ingenuity of the owner of this beauty,” said Yulia Ivanova.
“To sail this work of art for 20 days to its native land.”
The yacht costs $50 million to run but it remains out of reach of Western countries while in Russian waters.
Another Mordashov yacht worth $71 million and property worth $116 million was seized in Italy due to EU sanctions.
"I have absolutely nothing to do with the emergence of the current geopolitical tension and I do not understand why the EU has imposed sanctions on me,” he told Russian state news agency TASS.
Nord sails under a Cayman Islands flag.
Mordashov is the richest sanctioned person in Russia where half of its people have not been sanctioned over the war in Ukraine, according to Forbes.
The businessman is the man shareholder of steel company Severstal and also owns a stake in TUI Group.
Mordashov was until recently the richest man in Russia.
This is now Vladimir Potanin, 68, the biggest shareholder in MMC Norilsk Nickel PJSC, who has not been subjected to international sanctions.
