Norwegian Coast Guard, Police took action against luxury yacht of Putin friend
The yacht “Ragnar” was ransacked at port in Narvik, next to where the Norwegian-led large-scale NATO exercise will take place in March and April.
The superyacht is owned by former KGB officer Vladimir Strzhalkovsky, a Russian businessman who made a fortune as CEO of Nornickel, the company with mines and metallurgical factories on the Taimyr Peninsula and Kola Peninsula, according to the portal Superyachts and Owners.
Strazhalkovsky’s net worth is said to be hundreds of millions of dollars. He was one of Bank of Cyprus’ major shareholders and a friend of Vladimir Putin from the KGB days in Leningrad.
It was local newspaper Fremover that first reported about the ransacking in the port of Narvik by the Norwegian Coast Guard, police and customs.
The police downplay the drama, calling it “a standard physical control”, the NRK reports.
“This was a pleasure craft visiting Narvik. It’s been a while since it has been here, and then it happened that we had people and resources on duty,” head of section with Nordland Police District, Øystein Røsnes, said to NRK.
Nothing unusual was discovered onboard, everyone’s visa and passport were in order, he adds.
“Ragnar” is for charter on the market with a weekly rent informed to be €525,000 per week. In addition to the crew, there are eight cabins for 12 guests. The yacht has ice-breaking capabilities for navigation in Arctic waters.
