The yacht Royal Romance, owned by Viktor Medvedchuk, is being moved to another port for mandatory technical maintenance.
This was reported by the Asset Recovery and Management Agency (ARMA).
“In the near future, the vessel will be transferred to the port of Trogir (Croatia) under the escort of a police boat and a private security company vessel. After the technical inspection is completed, the yacht will be returned to its stationing location — the naval base in the city of Split,” the statement reads.
“The vessel is under arrest and managed by ARMA. Once it is returned to the base, the Agency will approach the Office of the Prosecutor General to initiate an updated procedure for the sale of the seized asset in accordance with applicable legislation,” ARMA notes.
The Agency also reminds the public that it thwarted an attempt to steal the seized Russian vessel EMMAKRIS III and initiated the reinstatement of a ban on sea departures for nine other Russian ships.
“All seized sea vessels transferred to ARMA’s management are under control,” the agency assures.
Reminder:
It was previously reported that in mid-November 2022, FBI agents conducted a search aboard the Royal Romance yacht, belonging to Ukrainian MP Viktor Medvedchuk, who was handed over to Russia. The 92-meter vessel was docked in Trogir, Croatia.
It wasn’t until March 20, 2024 — nearly two years after its seizure — that ARMA began the process of selling the yacht.
The auction house that was supposed to organize the sale of the seized Royal Romance yacht refused to sign the contract. ARMA stated that this was due to “resistance from Medvedchuk.”
The agency also reported that it is currently unable to sell the seized Royal Romance yacht because a Croatian court lifted the arrest on the vessel.
In June 2024, the High Criminal Court of Croatia returned the case for reconsideration to the District Court of Split.
Later, it was reported that the yacht belonging to the former leader of the “Opposition Platform – For Life” party, who is accused of state treason, remains indefinitely detained under sanctions. At that time, the Prosecutor General’s Office rejected ARMA’s claims that the agency had failed to sell the seized yacht in Croatia due to the lack of an indictment in the criminal case.
Having obtained decisions from both the national and Croatian courts regarding the confiscation and sale of the yacht, it was the agency that failed to sell the asset within the designated timeframe, the Prosecutor General’s Office stated.
The luxurious five-deck Royal Romance yacht, measuring 92.5 meters in length, was built by the renowned Dutch shipbuilding company Feadship. It features a 4 by 12 meter swimming pool located on the main aft deck. The yacht accommodates 14 guests and 22 crew members, and is also equipped with an elevator.
