Luxury yacht linked to Putin passes Denmark under Russian naval escort

One of the luxury yachts linked to Russian leader Vladimir Putin sailed past Denmark's eastern coast on 29 June under the escort of two Russian naval vessels.

Source: DR, a Danish public service broadcaster, based on vessel-tracking data, as reported by European Pravda

Details: On Monday 29 June, the luxury yacht Graceful – widely believed to be part of Putin's personal yacht fleet – was travelling north along Denmark's eastern coastline. It was escorted by a Russian destroyer and another Russian patrol vessel.

The yacht entered Danish waters during the night and, based on its speed and course, was expected to pass Grenen, the northernmost point of the Jutland peninsula, at around 14:00 local time.

The voyage is considered unusual because Graceful's AIS transponder had been switched off for much of the period since 2022, although there have been occasional reports of its movements. Its current destination is unknown.

The convoy had been monitored by the German coastguard and the Royal Danish Navy since 09:00 on Sunday 28 June. It is now being shadowed by the Danish patrol vessel P521 Freja.

The Danish military told DR that the Danish Armed Forces routinely monitored vessels, including those of foreign states, transiting through the Danish straits and waters.

Before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Graceful was undergoing maintenance in Hamburg, Germany. It departed the shipyard on 7 February 2022, just 17 days before the invasion began.

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