France carries out its threats.
In a press release published on Thursday, the Minister of Economy and Finance announces that customs have seized the yacht "
Amore Vero
" at the La Ciotat shipyard.
This belongs to a company "
of which Igor Setchine, director of the company Rosnef, [one of the largest producers of crude oil in the world, editor's note], has been identified as the main shareholder
", specifies the document.
The yacht belongs "
to a Russian oligarch
", summed up Bruno Le Maire on Twitter.
Read alsoWar in Ukraine: oligarchs, deputies, journalists… Who are the Russians targeted by the EU?
This ship “
came within the scope of the freezing measures decided against its owner
” by the European Union, we also read.
The yacht, which was to remain in the shipyard until April 1, "
was making arrangements to cast off urgently, without having completed the planned work
", at the time of the customs intervention, notes the ministry.
This attempt to leave constitutes an “
infraction
”, considered the authorities, “
following which the seizure of the vessel was declared
”.
The seizure is part
of "the implementation of European Union sanctions against Russia
", declare Bruno Le Maire and Olivier Dussopt - Minister Delegate in charge of Public Accounts -, quoted in the press release from Bercy .
Read alsoWar in Ukraine: the complex implementation of international sanctions
Already seizures abroad
Like other Western countries, France wants to strengthen the sanctions against the rich Russian oligarchs, close to the Kremlin.
“I have set up a
task force
to identify all the Russian oligarchs, their property, their assets which are in France, on behalf of the oligarchs, their spouses, their children, their real estate civil companies.
So that they cannot hide behind financial arrangements,
”said Bruno Le Maire on FranceInfo on Tuesday
.
The Minister then specified that it was indeed seizures, not simple asset freezes.
French actions concerning Russian ships have already been taken.
At the end of February, customs announced that they had intercepted and checked a “
Russian freighter
”, the Baltic Leader, “
as part of the implementation of the freezing of funds and economic resources decided against several Russian companies
”.
Leaving Rouen, the latter was heading for Saint Petersburg and was diverted to Boulogne-sur-Mer.
A "
report was notified to the captain of the ship
", considering that the latter did not respect the "
restrictive measures
" put in place against Russia.
