Putin-linked superyacht Graceful passes Sweden

A sanctioned superyacht linked to Russian President Vladimir Putin passed through waters south of Sweden on Sunday, 28 June, according to tracking data and reports by Swedish public broadcaster SVT.

The 82-metre vessel, named Graceful, was first identified by the US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) in a 2 June 2022 statement as a frozen asset tied to Putin. The yacht has been under sanctions by both the US and Ukraine.

US officials have stated that Putin has used the yacht for multiple trips, including a 2021 voyage on the Black Sea accompanied by Belarusian leader Aleksandr Lukashenko.

Danish broadcaster DR reported that Graceful disabled its position transmitter on 30 August 2022 but reappeared on tracking maps near Sweden on Sunday. The yacht was initially escorted by a German federal police patrol boat, followed by Danish naval vessels as it moved through Danish waters.

A spokesperson for the Danish defence told DR that the military routinely monitors foreign state vessels passing through Danish straits. Sweden’s coast guard confirmed to SVT that no action was taken as the yacht passed.