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Sussurro: On board the historic 50m Feadship yacht

The brief was “extreme speed” – with a penalty built into the contract should they fail. So a top yard and illustrious designers raced for victory on a project that would help define their careers. Marilyn Mower delves into the extraordinary story behind the historic 50-metre Feadship Sussurro.

Henk de Vries III is very clear about when the Sussurro saga started. It was the year he got his first mobile phone: 1996. “We had been having discussions with a client about a unique yacht; these things take time, but I was scheduled for a camping vacation in France. The team said, ‘We can’t reach you if you are not in a hotel. You must have a cell phone.’ I said, ‘OK, I will get a cell phone, but I am going on vacation.’”

De Vries, a member of the family that co-founded Feadship in 1949 and today CEO of the Dutch yard, was somewhere in the Loire Valley when he took he call. “Can you come to Ibiza?” the client’s representative asked. The next morning, he took the TGV high-speed train to Paris (300 kilometres in one hour) where a private jet was waiting. At the airport in Ibiza, a driver motioned him to a black limousine. “I remember we stopped to pick up boating magazines on the way to the harbour.”

“The meeting with the client’s team was held aboard the Lürssen -built Coral Island (now Coral Ocean ). They wanted me to see the interior,” recalls de Vries. “We had lunch, discussed price and I was back in Tours in time for dinner.” The client wanted a very special boat to take him to his favourite Red Sea diving spots in a hurry – a hurry being more than 40 knots. He insisted on a speed clause in the contract, “with a relatively severe penalty if the boat failed to achieve that speed. I agreed but asked for a bonus if we went over that speed,” says de Vries.

“Everyone was terrified. We had not built many fast semi-displacement boats, besides 44-metre Azteca and the Gallant Lady sportfishers, and they were small [26.6 metres]; this was 50 metres! Hull 656 was going to have to be aluminium rather than steel – aluminium and composites and carbon- fibre possibly. We had not done that,” he adds.

The team had several meetings in London with Terence Disdale , the client’s designer. Disdale, it turns out, was a step ahead of Feadship in the process. He’d actually done a displacement yacht refit for the client and so was put in charge of designing its replacement.

“The first design for him was actually a catamaran,” Disdale confides. “It made a great fishing and diving platform, but it was cost-prohibitive. His original target was 50 knots and 50 metres. He switched to a monohull and the best guy for a fast monohull at the time was Don Shead .”

Offshore racing fans will recall more than 140 Grands Prix events won by Shead-designed boats, while yachtsmen will point to King Juan Carlos I of Spain’s turbine-powered Fortuna , the Aga Khan’s Shergar , or a series of yachts for Thomas Sopwith named Philante . “For his racing boats, he had turned to advanced aircraft engineering and materials that were not used on boats – yet,” says Disdale. “Don worked on the hull shape and power requirement and gave us the weight calculations; the numbers were pretty scary – 198 tonnes dry to achieve the speeds, or about half that of a typical 50 metre.”

Hugo Van Wieringen , at the time lead designer at Feadship’s De Voogt Naval Architects , engineered and tank-tested Shead’s deep-V design. “I always say you should challenge yourself but also, you should not attempt what you cannot do,” says Van Wieringen. “So, I thought we should bring in experts for that kind of speed and the experts at the time were Frank Mulder and Don Shead. I thought we should contact Shead as he had more open sea experience.

“Usually, if you want to make a fast boat, you make it flat. The more deadrise you have, the more drag you create – but the ride is more comfortable. The key is how far aft you carry the deep-V,” notes Van Wieringen. “Too flat aft and you spin out in a turn, too deep and you would never make the speed.”

“To achieve light weight and great strength we used longitudinal frames with transverse stringers,” says de Vries. There was a bit of that in the Gallant Lady yachts. “Shead’s hull design was like a sailboat. The shell plating could be thin, just something to keep the water out rather than to provide strength. Where the transverse frames met the longitudinal stringers, instead of being like a welded bar, there was a little round opening to make the joint not so stiff. It was radical. I remember showing Frank Mulder through the hull when it was under construction. He almost cried and said, ‘I’ve been trying to do this my whole life but I never had a client who would pay for it!’”

The De Voogt office and the yard’s engineers, notably Gerard and the late Johan de Vries, planned where to save weight. “Some things are a given – the weight of the engines and the jets for example,” notes Van Wieringen. “Piping is heavy; we made the systems as light as possible by rethinking the materials, replacing copper with PVC where we could. Gerard was very good at simplifying a complex system. Johan and I had often disagreed about the role of composites in large motor yachts – our first parts were hatches on Double Haven – but this project would require the upper deck and hardtop to be composite and he came to embrace it.” Henk de Vries remembers that Shead and Johan de Vries “got on quite well from the beginning”, which aided the exploration of new territory for the yard tremendously.

Everything was subject to what we now call “lightweighting”. “Normally, we would have had 25 tonnes of sound insulation in a 50 metre; Sussurro had a budget of six tonnes. There was no hull insulation in the crew area. It was pretty noisy if the boat was at speed, but then crew would likely not be in their cabins then,” says Van Wieringen.

Weight was one thing, but the power to propel the boat to 42.5 knots was another. Since the early 1990s, Van Wieringen had been taking part in joint industry studies of the potential benefits of water-jet propulsion. He knew that for large yachts needing speeds of more than 25 knots, water jets were the best solution. As an aside, he adds, “below 25 knots, they are an efficiency nightmare, but Sussurro uses the same fuel per mile at 35 knots as at 25 knots because the boat and the jets were made for that.”

Feadship used two Paxman military diesel engines – the best horsepower- to-weight diesels made – to drive steerable Lips jets and twin, TF40 gas turbines linked to a larger centreline Lips booster, another first for Feadship. The result was a combined 15,000 horsepower. On paper and in the tow tank it worked. Now it was up to everyone to hit the weight budget – and they knew the aesthetic benchmark for the interior.

I nearly fell over when I saw the boat for the first time in the early 2000s after she had changed hands for the first time, since no renderings were shared with the press and no photos were shown until then (she has been sold twice since 1998 and is now listed for sale with Burgess , with a brand- new photo shoot). I was accustomed to Disdale’s New-York-apartment style as evidenced in Rio Rita , Tommy , Joalmi and Sea Jewel . This was not that. In fact, it’s much closer to his artisan-centric style of today, a look based on natural materials. “It was our first beach-style interior and [it was] driven by the owner,” recalls Disdale. “He said, ‘I have all kinds of houses and apartments. I want something that relates to nature, to diving and fishing.’”

Disdale is innately, deeply curious. He collects experiences the way other people collect shoes. He’s likely to fly off to India to gather ideas for colours, or Africa to gather beads, or the Philippines to explore Asian furniture styles. Referencing photos of Sussurro , Disdale and lead designer Daniela Zulli point out custom furniture, surfaces and materials, many never repeated on any other yacht of his design, such as a drum table from Bali, ammonites embedded in a dining table, or coins recovered from the wreck of an East Indian trading company ship.

“I wanted to use natural materials. We had spent a lot of time in Africa collecting beads and things that we used to decorate cabinets. In the guest foyer is a cabinet that has the dual purpose of having a rail at the top that you can grab on to. The dimensions of that cabinet were made to match the width of a Zulu belt [which would ornament it]. The first time they made it, it was too wide, and they had to redo it because that was all there was to the belt. It wasn’t like you could open a catalogue and order a bigger one.”

Every element, from furniture down to the last screw, was weighed going aboard and all the packing and scraps were weighed coming off. Electricians’ cable reels were weighed boarding and coming off and all the little snips and cuttings made during the shift had to be collected and weighed as well. “I think we came in three per cent under weight,” recalls de Vries.

The trick was to make lightweight things look substantial instead of spindly. Take the master bed frame, for example. The posts look like heavy carved wood, but they are really veneered high-density foam. And their bronze caps? “Today you have all sorts of options with liquid metal. We used plastic electroplated with copper and chemically patinated,” says Disdale. Many surfaces that aren’t bamboo (there’s a lot of bamboo on board) are shaped leather or parchment. For antique-look pieces, he commissioned a belt buckle artist to make rustic-looking latches, hinges and handrails.

One of Disdale’s most distinct memories is about hollow wall pillars that were to have a hand-hewn look. “We had this amazing Dutch carver to do the pillars in this sort of African style and I couldn’t make him understand the sort of rough carving I wanted. He was making these fine European things. Finally I said to him, ‘I want primitive.’ His reply was, ‘I don’t do primitive.’ In desperation I found some empty cardboard carpet tubes and gouged and marked them up with the pattern I wanted and sent them to the Netherlands. I think the problem was ‘primitive’ didn’t translate.”

As to meeting the speed brief? On sea trials, when the yacht passed the benchmark at 42.5 knots, the Feadship team went for broke and ordered full throttle ahead. They hit 43 knots... then 44... then 45... and even 46 knots! And this was repeated on successive runs. Once, downwind, Sussurro’s GPS recorded 49 knots. “I have a picture,” says de Vries, proudly.

Disdale, De Vries and Van Wieringen all declare Sussurro to be a personal and professional highlight. For Disdale, the creative use of found materials set him on the path to the perennial standout Pelorus and beyond. “There was a lot of innovation in response to the brief and it was a completely fresh concept. Our design today uses this as a backdrop although we aren’t as wild in our everyday work,” he says.

For Feadship, the research on lightweight design and build techniques was ploughed into the 32-knot, 46.63-metre Detroit Eagle and the 36-knot, 86-metre Ecstasea . Sussurro was hull number 656. Van Wieringen, who had been with the De Voogt office since 1986, left to form the naval architecture firm Azure in 2003 with Diederik van der Hoek. They have more than 21 yachts in the water. Michael Leach , who did the superstructure detailing while working at Terence Disdale Design, formed his own company in 1997 and has gone on to style award-winning yachts including Palladium and Lady S .

It is remarkable, in strolling down memory lane with this team, how many details they can recall instantly about a yacht conceived 24 years ago. But then again, the spirit of Sussurro lives on in many of their finest designs.

This feature is taken from the July 2020 issue of BOAT International. Get this magazine sent straight to your door, or subscribe and never miss an issue.

Exterior photography by Burgess; interiors by Bob Marchant.

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You have to marvel or rather low-key admire the spending habits of the world’s elite when it comes to luxury toys. As we are in the business of yachting then Roman Abramovich must undoubtedly be the one we’ve heard the most about.

A fortune that began with a toy doll company, Abramovich and his now ex-wife used its success as a catalyst to world domination through everything from oil to consumer goods.

Where our familiarity with Abramovich comes in, is most likely his acquisition of Chelsea Football Club in 2003. Since then he has bankrolled the purchase of numerous key players and the club has won 13 major trophies in the Abramovich era.

Among his arsenal of past and present superyachts, the billionaire tycoon also owns a private Boeing 767 and Gulfstream G650, while his ex-wife Irina took the Dassault Falcon 900 during their divorce settlement.

The 50m Sussurro yacht, built in 1998 by Feadship features both interior and exterior design by Terence Disdale. She cruises at 30 knots and reaches a top speed of 36.0 kn. She can sleep up to 12 guests taken care of by a crew of 11. Having had a number of Owners since Abromovich she is now up for resale.

The 86m Ecstasea yacht was built in 2004 by Feadship. She features an exterior design by De Voogt and Terence Disdale and an interior by Terence Disdale. She cruises at 25 knots and reaches a top speed of 35.0 kn. She can sleep up to 14 guests taken care of by a crew of 24. She is now on her 3rd Owner since Abramovich sold her in 2014

The 115m Luna yacht was built in 2010 by Lloyd Werft. She features an exterior design by Newcruise and an interior by Donald Starkey. She cruises at 16 knots and reaches a top speed of 22.5 kn. She can sleep up to 50 guests taken care of by a crew of 18. Abramovich sold her in 2014 to his friend Akhmedov. The yacht has been part of his friend’s heavily disputed divorce case and for the moment is still berthed in Dubai.

The 115m Pelorus yacht was built in 2003 by Lürssen. She features both exterior and exterior design by Tim Heywood. She cruises at 18 knots and reaches a top speed of 20.0 kn. She can sleep up to 24 guests taken care of by a crew of 46. PELORUS has always been talked of as one of the most beautiful superyachts in the world and was bought by Abramovich during her maiden voyage. A major refit was then undertaken by Blohm & Voss for modifications and a second heli pad. In 2009 PELORUS formed part of his divorce settlement and went to his ex wife Irina.

LE GRAND BLEU

The 113m Le Grand Bleu yacht was built in 2000 by Bremer Vulkan. She features an exterior design by Pastrovich Studio and an interior by Luciano Di Pilla Design. She cruises at 15 knots and reaches a top speed of 17.0 kn. She can sleep up to 20 guests taken care of by a crew of 35. LE GRAND BLEU was commissioned by John McCaw, Jr, an American businessman, who sold it to Abramovich in 2002. In June 2006, Abramovich lost Le Grand Bleu in a bet to Eugene Shvidler.

The 163m Eclipse yacht was built in 2010 by Blohm & Voss. She features exterior and interior design by Terence Disdale. She cruises at 22 knots and reaches a top speed of 25.0 kn. She can sleep up to 36 guests taken care of by a crew of 70.ECPIPSE travels to the Caribbean each winter where Abramovich’s has a residence and is licensed for private use only.

The freshly launched 140 meter Lloyd Werft SOLARIS is one of the largest superyachts to launch in 2021. Designed by Australian designer Marc Newson, she features a total of eight decks. With stats slowly emerging we will leave you with 11,085 meters squared of deck space, 562km of cables on board and the highested installed propulsion power pods of any private yacht to date!

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Breaking news, roman abramovich’s $600m superyacht leaves turkish port as scrutiny mounts.

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Roman Abramovich’s $600 million superyacht Solaris has left the port of Bodrum in Turkey – relocating as the sanctioned Russian oligarch’s fleet of luxury vessels comes under increased scrutiny from Western officials.

As of Monday morning, the Solaris was anchored off Yalikavak beach near the southwestern coast of Turkey in the Aegean Sea, according to location data from Marine Traffic . The ship was initially reported to have left Bodrum Cruise Port for a “scenic cruise” before its crew dropped anchor.

The Solaris and another of Abramovich’s superyachts, the Eclipse, have lingered in or near Turkish ports for the last two weeks. The Eclipse is located in the Turkish port of Marmaris.

The vessels have avoided European ports in the days since the United Kingdom and European Union levied sanctions against Abramovich over his ties to the Kremlin in response to the invasion of Ukraine.

The Solaris’ departure from the Turkish port occurred after Global Ports Holding, which operates Bodrum Cruise Port and is listed on the London Stock Exchange, faced pressure to deny service to the yacht due to its ties to Abramovich.

On Sunday, Global Ports Holding said it lacked the authority to reject the Solaris, but noted it would not accept berthing fees while the boat was at port.

“This responsibility and decision sit with the Turkish Authorities, and as concessionaire, GPH must comply with such a decision as long as the decision is legal under the applicable laws,” the company said in a statement.

“However, and notwithstanding the difficulties of any party to correctly identify the actual ownership of such assets, GPH has not and will not receive any service fee or other payments concerning the berthing of this superyacht at Bodrum Cruise Port,” the statement added.

Global Ports Holding’s announcement could have been an attempt to shield itself from liability for potential sanctions violations, according to the Financial Times , which first reported on the statement.

While Abramovich’s two largest superyachts, the $600 million Solaris and the $700 million Eclipse, have drawn the most public scrutiny, a report last week revealed his fleet was more extensive than previously known.

British authorities have determined Abramovich owns the yachts Halo and Garçon, which drew scrutiny while docked in Antigua but were only recently determined to be owned by the oligarch. Government officials in Antigua said they would cooperate with efforts to detain and seize the vessels if requested.

The Financial Times noted Abramovich may still own a fifth yacht, the $11 million Sussurro, despite previous reports that he gifted the boat to his ex-wife in a divorce settlement.

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Roman Abramovich’s Yacht Fleet Past & Present

Say what you want about the elite, but you can’t help but marvel and low-key admire their spending habits when it comes to luxury toys. While Roman Abramovich might only be Russia’s 12th richest man (with a net worth of 9.8 billion USD), he’s undoubtedly the one you’ve heard the most about.

A fortune that began with a toy doll company, Abramovich and his now ex-wife used its success as a catalyst to world domination through everything from oil to consumer goods.

Among his arsenal of past and present superyachts, the billionaire tycoon also owns a private Boeing 767 and Gulfstream G650, while his ex-wife Irina took the Dassault Falcon 900 during their divorce settlement.

The pricetags below of these Roman Abramovich yachts – past and present – are in Australian dollars.

A Complete List of Roman Abramovich’s Yachts

Sussurro – $146 million.

Rumour has it that Sussurro is now owned by his ex-wife by way of a divorce settlement, and is rarely used regardless as it is almost always docked in Antibes.

ECSTASEA – $154 MILLION

Ecstasea is one of the fastest large yachts around, with an impressive 43,000 horsepower at a length of 86 metres.

LUNA – $386 MILLION

This 115-metre monstrosity boasts dual helipads and was built by Lloyd Werft at Stahlbau Nord Shipyards. The world’s second largest expedition yacht, the LUNA was sold to Abramovich’s friend and Azerbaijani billionaire Farkhad Akhmedov for 240 million Euro in 2014.

PELORUS – $386 MILLION

Clocking in at the same length and a very similar price tag, the Pelorus was built in 2003 by Lurssen and was briefly owned by a Saudi businessman before being sold to Abramovich the year after.

Optimised for long distance cruising, the Pelorus is without a doubt the sleekest of the tycoon’s line-up, with this vessel capable of 6000 nautical miles at 16 knots in a single voyage. Pelorus is now owned by Hong Kong businessman Samuel Tak Lee.

ECLIPSE – $643 MILLION

There’s no way Roman Abramovich could part from his flagship superyacht and the world’s largest by length at 163.5 metres. Known as the 1.5 billion dollar superyacht, Eclipse’s original cost price was realistically no more than 500 million USD.

Built in total secrecy by Blohm + Voss of Hamburg to custom request from Roman, Eclipse sports bulletproof windows, an advanced missile detection system and a provision to escape via submarine located at the bottom end of the yacht. Bond villain gadgets aside, its other amenities are things such as dual swimming pools and 20 jet skis.

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How many yachts does Roman Abramovich own?

Roman Abramovich owns five yachts named Sussurro, Ecstasea, Luna, Pelorus, and Eclipse

How much are Roman Abramovich's yachts worth?

Roman Abramovich’s yachts are worth $1.7 billion

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Superyachts tracked: Abramovich’s boat heads east after sanctions

Solaris is tracked off coast of Sicily, joining hurried sailings of Russian yachts to avoid seizure

• Ukraine-Russia war – latest updates
• The oligarchs and business figures on western sanction lists

Roman Abramovich’s superyacht Solaris was heading east across the Mediterranean on Thursday after sanctions were extended to the Chelsea FC owner.

His $600m vessel, tracked off the coast of Sicily on Thursday, appeared to have joined the hurried sailings of Russian oligarchs moving their superyachts across the world to avoid seizure by governments enforcing sanctions in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The Solaris left the Barcelona port where it had been undergoing repairs on Tuesday, according to Reuters, and by Thursday afternoon it was rounding the southern coast of Sicily. Abramovich’s other yacht, the even more luxurious Eclipse – estimated to be worth more than $1bn after extensive renovations – set sail east from the Caribbean island of St Maarten towards international waters shortly after other oligarchs’ yachts were seized.

The Eclipse had crossed much of the Atlantic by midday Thursday when it was located to the west of the Canary Islands according to vesselfinder.com.

Abramovich was sanctioned by the US in 2018 but joined the UK list on Thursday morning. A spokesperson for Abramovich said earlier this week: “We never comment on the movements of the yacht or any other vehicles or vessels.”

The 163-metre Eclipse, which includes nine decks, two helipads and a 16-metre swimming pool that can be converted into a dancefloor, is the most expensive vessel owned by individuals on the growing US, EU and UK sanction lists.

Many super-rich Russians – including some not yet on the sanctions list, but with links to the Russian president, Vladimir Putin – appear to be attempting to move their superyachts to countries without formal extradition agreements with western governments.

French and Italian authorities last week seized three yachts worth more than $225m (£170m).

Tracking data from the shipping intelligence service MarineTraffic shows that Titan, a $100m superyacht owned by Alexander Abramov, a billionaire iron and steel magnate, arrived in Maldives waters last week after sailing from Fethiye in Turkey. Its owner, who holds a big stake alongside Abramovich in the London-listed coal and steel group Evraz, is not on any sanctions lists.

Clio, a $65m superyacht owned by the aluminium billionaire Oleg Deripaska, who has been subject to US sanctions since 2018, was reported last week to be heading for Raa Atoll in the Maldives. The Maldives is an Indian Ocean island nation with no extradition treaty with the US or the EU.

The US president, Joe Biden, said last week the US was actively working to seize the superyachts, luxury apartments and private jets of oligarchs linked to Putin. “We are coming for your ill-begotten gains,” he said in his State of the Union address .

The White House spokesperson, Jen Psaki, added: “We want [Putin] to feel the squeeze, we want the people around him to feel the squeeze.”

Three ways you can help the people of Ukraine from the UK

Support local charities

There are several Ukrainian charities working on the ground.  Sunflower of Peace  is a charity that helps paramedics and doctors, and has been fundraising for supplies, which includes first aid medical tactical backpacks.

United Help Ukraine  focuses on providing medical supplies and humanitarian aid, and raising awareness of the conflict.

Voices of Children  aims to help children affected by the war in eastern Ukraine, providing support through art therapy, psychologists, video storytelling and a number of other methods.

The  British Red Cross  has launched an emergency appeal to help Ukraine. The charity will be updating its webpage with news on the work its team is doing, and how support will be used to help people.

Support local journalism

English-language news outlets based in the country, such as  Kyiv Independent  and the  New Voice of Ukraine , are covering developments on the ground as the conflict unfolds, using local journalists. The Kyiv Independent says it was created by journalists in order to defend editorial independence. This  site on Twitter  covers many local journalists in Ukraine.

Write to your local MP

This can be a way to lobby the British government to place further sanctions on the Russian government and its associates. You can get in touch with your local MP via email or post to their constituency address. Instructions on how to get in touch can be found on  parliament.uk.

Grant Shapps, the UK transport secretary, said the government would detain any yachts suspected of being Russian-owned if they entered UK waters. “I want to make it impossible for individuals with links to Putin to use their aircraft in UK airspace, at UK airports or airfields, and any aircraft suspected of being linked to Russia will be detained,” he said. “Likewise, their yachts. Any of these floating gin palaces with an identifiable Russian connection will be detained if it attempts to dock in a British port.”

France detained Amore Vero , a 280ft, $120m superyacht they said was owned by Igor Sechin, in the Mediterranean port of La Ciotat. Sechin, who is also facing sanctions, is the chief executive of the Russian oil producer Rosneft and a close ally of Putin. Amore Vero, which means “true love” in Italian, can accommodate 14 guests and 28 crew.

French police, who boarded the vessel at night last week, said the ship was in port for repairs, but its crew were “making arrangements to leave in a hurry, without having completed the planned work”.

Italy’s Guardia di Finanza boarded and impounded Lena , a 41-metre, $45m yacht owned by Gennady Timchenko, a close friend of Putin who has an estimated $21bn fortune held in several large Russian raw materials companies, in Sanremo. Lady M, a 64-metre, $60m yacht owned by Alexei Mordashov, was seized in the nearby Ligurian port of Imperia.

Dilbar , the world’s largest superyacht by gross tonnage, which the US government said is owned by Alisher Usmanov , was reported to have been seized in Hamburg. However, German authorities later clarified that the 156-metre vessel, which has been valued at $600m, has not been impounded but requires an export waiver to leave the port.

Usmanov, who reportedly owns Witanhurst, the second biggest private home in the UK after Buckingham Palace, was added to the EU’s sanction list on Wednesday. The US imposed sanctions on him last week after the White House described him as a “one of Russia’s wealthiest individuals and a close ally of Putin”.

The yachts identified by the Guardian as linked to oligarchs are worth more than $3bn. The ultimate ownership of superyachts can be difficult to confirm as many are owned through shell companies registered in tax havens.

Additional reporting by Pamela Duncan , Joanna Partridge and Georgina Quach

• Roman Abramovich
• The super-rich
• Foreign policy

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Roman Abramovich’s $1bn five-yacht fleet revealed

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Robert Smith , Cynthia O’Murchu and Arash Massoudi in London and Max Seddon in Riga

Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.

Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich owns or is linked to a collection of five yachts estimated to be worth almost $1bn, including several vessels whose ownership remained secret until this week.

A Financial Times investigation into the billionaire’s assets has lifted the veil of secrecy he maintains over his wealth, even after the UK and EU imposed sanctions on him following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine for his allegedly close relationship with President Vladimir Putin.

Authorities in the UK and EU are attempting to identify all of the assets owned by sanctioned oligarchs. Abramovich was already widely reported to be the owner of Solaris and Eclipse — worth $474mn and $437mn, respectively, according to yacht data service VesselsValue. But the FT revealed this week that he also owns Halo and Garçon, which are both moored in Antigua.

The Antiguan government was unaware of the ownership of the boats docked on the island before inquiries from the FT, highlighting the scale of the challenge UK and EU authorities face in enforcing sanctions.

Tom Keatinge, director of the Centre for Financial Crime and Security Studies at the Royal United Services Institute think-tank said governments, banks and other institutions trying to enforce sanctions had to navigate a world where “ownership trails run cold and morph into a haze of front companies, nominees and cut-outs”.

Halo and Garçon are valued at $38mn and $20mn, respectively, and are now at risk of being seized.

In a letter to the British high commissioner to Barbados regarding the yachts, Antiguan minister of foreign affairs Paul Chet Greene said the island would “provide full assistance to the government of the United Kingdom” if it receives a request under the two nations’ Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty.

The letter noted that Antigua had requested information on the company that owns the two boats — British Virgin Islands-registered Wenham Overseas Limited — after “persistent allegations by the Financial Times that the vessels could be owned by Mr Roman Abramovich”.

In response, the British high commission provided Antiguan authorities with a letter, seen by the FT, “from the Financial Investigation Agency of the British Virgin Islands which states the beneficial owner of Wenham Overseas Ltd is Roman Abramovich”.

The letter also shows the billionaire’s address in Switzerland is listed simply as “Immeuble, Gatzby Le Magnifique”, which translates as “The Great Gatsby Building”.

Keatinge described the UK’s ability to demand full ownership information of companies registered in any of its overseas territories or crown dependencies as its “most powerful global weapon” in combating financial secrecy.

However, he asked: “How much is that weapon being used?”

A person with knowledge of Abramovich’s boat collection and documents seen by the FT indicate that the oligarch may also still be the owner of Sussurro, the first yacht he bought in 1998, despite reports he had given it to an ex-wife in a divorce.

The person who correctly identified the two yachts in Antigua as belonging to Abramovich told the FT the oligarch still owned Sussurro.

The vessel’s owner is listed in maritime registers as Vesuvius International Limited in the British Virgin Islands. BVI documents show this company was deregistered there in 2017. Another Vesuvius International was registered in Jersey the same year.

The owner of Jersey-based Vesuvius International is listed as Wotton Overseas Holdings Limited. This entity — which shifted from the BVI to Jersey in 2017 — is also the owner through a subsidiary of a helicopter that has been photographed landing on Abramovich’s Solaris several times.

Maritime tracking services show Sussurro, which means “whisper” in Italian and is valued at $11mn, is moored in La Ciotat in the south of France — the same port where the French government last month seized a $116mn superyacht belonging to a company tied to Igor Sechin, head of Russian oil group Rosneft.

Sussurro’s management company is Blue Ocean Management, a Cyprus-based company that also manages Le Grand Bleu, a 113-metre superyacht that Abramovich reportedly gave to his business associate Eugene Shvidler.

The UK placed Shvidler under sanctions last week.

The letter from the BVI’s financial investigation agency to its British counterparts also reveals that the owner of Le Grand Blue — Ashchurch Holdings Limited — is owned by “Zarui Shvidler”. Shvidler’s wife is commonly known as Zara Shvidler.

VesselsValue pegged Le Grand Bleu’s market value in a range of $110mn-$130mn, noting that the boat had last been tracked this week in the Caribbean Sea off the coast of Puerto Rico.

Representatives for Abramovich and Shvidler did not respond to requests for comment.

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Roman Abramovich’s Yachts: Everything You Want To Know

You may be familiar with the jet setting lifestyle of Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, owner of the Chelsea football club, who has an estimated net worth of over $8 billion. He’s not just rich, he’s a man who loves yachts and loves them a lot. Not only does he own the Eclipse, the most expensive yacht in the world, he owns 15 other yachts that we know of. Clearly this is a man who enjoys ship life. Other Russian oligarchs like private jets, Abramovich likes private boats.

Up until 2023 it was believed Abramovich owned a mere 6 vessels, but new information bumps that number up significantly. Let’s take a look at some of the most notable examples of the vessels in the fleet and what we know about them.

The Eclipse Yacht

Roman Abramovich has the distinction of owning the most expensive yacht in the world, the Eclipse. It was built in Hamburg by Blohm and Voss in 2010 and was recently seen in Turkey where it is likely avoiding international sanctions against Russian billionaires which would confiscate the vessel.

How Expensive is the Roman Abramovich Yacht Eclipse?

The superyacht Eclipse is obviously the flagship of Abramovich’s fleet and it’s believed the initial construction price was $427 million. Though that’s obviously very expensive it wouldn’t technically make this the most expensive yacht in the world. However, rumor has it that Abramovich had custom additions put on the yacht including a security system fit for a small army, which boosted the total cost to $1.5 billion.

How Big is the Eclipse Yacht

For some years, the Eclipse was the world’s largest yacht at 533-feet. Other yachts have since surpassed that length but obviously it’s still an absolutely enormous vessel. It has a gross tonnage of 13,000 GT and a beam of just over 72 feet. It is the largest vessel Abramovich owns.

How Fast is the Eclipse Yacht?

It’s believed the Eclipse has a top speed of about 22 knots. This is provided by four MTU 20V 1163 TB93 diesel engines.

What is the Eclipse Like on the Inside?

The interior of the Eclipse is well guarded and not many people have been on board. That said, there are some things we do know about the vessel and what Abramovich has had installed. To start with, the yacht has not one but two helicopter landing pads. It also has its own mini submersible and previously it had been reported that there were 3 landing boats but now we know that he has 8 support vessels of various kinds for the yacht.

There are quarters to house as many as 70 crew members making this yacht essentially a private cruise ship in terms of staffing and amenities. There is room for 36 guests as well.

It is rumored that the yacht has two swimming pools on board including one that is nearly 50 feet long, plus several hot tubs scattered throughout. The large pool has a retractable glass sunroof. The 18 guest rooms are said to contain full home 6-foot cinema screens for private viewings. For a group experience, the bow of the ship is also a cinema with a massive screen. Each guest room, of which there are 24, has its own jacuzzi and private security system.

There are spas on board and a disco as well, and unusual amenities like a full size pantry and gullwing doors that pull up to reveal a barbecue and pizza oven. The yacht’s guests can also enjoy an 830 square foot gym, massage room, beauty salon, beach club, sauna and portholes that offer a view inside the large pool. There’s even a wood-burning fire pit on the main deck for campfires. 

The ceiling in the 5,000 square foot master suite opens like a retractable dome in a sports stadium to give passengers a view of the night sky if they so desire.

The security on Eclipse is one of the things that gets talked about a lot and what is known about it is impressive. To start, the glass is all bulletproof. The hull is armor plated to prevent damage from direct attacks. There is an anti-paparazzi system installed which prevents digital cameras from taking photos when they’re aimed at the vessel, which is why you’ll see so few photos of it when it’s in use. Finally, there’s a sophisticated missile detection system that is able to detect missile attacks and launch its own counter attacks. So, yes, this yacht apparently has missile launchers on board, something usually reserved for military vessels.

What Other Yachts or Launch Boats Does Abramovich Own?

Journalists recently discovered that the Russian billionaire owns 16 yachts , about 10 more than previously known. Eight of these vessels are support ships for the Eclipse which was previously thought to just have three launch boats as support. These are the remaining 7.

The second most expensive yacht in Abramovich’s fleet, Solaris is 458 feet long, 11,011 tons and had a reported price tag of $475 million. Other sources say this is actually a $600 million vessel. It has room for 36 passengers in 18 cabins as well as crew quarters to handle up to 60 crew members at a time. These are just estimates based on the size and design of the yacht, however, as Abramovich is notoriously private when it comes to secure matters like these. This large yacht may have swimming pools inside and other amenities but little has been published in any yacht report about those features.

The top speed of the yacht is listed at 18 to 20 knots with a cruising speed of 14 knots and it features not just a pool but a helicopter landing pad on deck. Propulsion is provided by the largest ABB Azipod propulsion package ever used in a private yacht.

It’s said to contain over 2,000 square meters of glass including the largest panes ever used in a superyacht. 

The yacht, at last report, was moored in Turkey where it is not subject to international sanctions that have been levied against the Russian oligarch.

This would be Abramovich’s third most expensive yacht coming in at $38 million and 180 feet long. Designed by Amels, it is sometimes available for charter and can house 12 guests and 13 crew in its quarters. The yacht has a top speed of 15.5 knots and a range of 4,500 nautical miles The cruising speed is 13 knots.

The Garcon is actually larger than the Halo but costs less. It reportedly had a $20 million price tag but clocked in at 220 feet. Made by Damen Yachting, this is sometimes used as a support vessel as it was by its previous owner. It has space for 21 people in total.

The Garcon is a much faster yacht than some of its size, powered by 4 Caterpillar engines, that can reach 25 knots at full throttle. Normal cruising speed is 18 knots.

This is a $1 million Bluegame yacht that measures just a fraction of his larger boats, coming in at 40 feet.

Little is known about this particular yacht other than it measures 80 feet and was reported to have cost Abramovich $3 million.

This 162-foot, $11 million yacht has been moored in La Ciotat on the French Riviera since 2022. It was built in 1998 and features a 27.5 foot beam.  The vessel is powered by Paxman + Textron engines which produce 3442 hp each giving Sussurro a maximum speed of 46 knots and a cruising speed of 20 knots making it one of the fastest yachts of its size in the world.

Moored in the Netherlands, this yacht measures 164-foot and reportedly cost $30 million. Powered by MTU diesel engines the vessel has a top speed of 23 knots. There is room on board for 12 guests in 5 staterooms, as well as a crew of 9.

The Bottom Line

Roman Abramovich owns the world’s most expensive yacht, the Eclipse, as well as many other yachts that, until recently, were hidden assets. Because of international sanctions against Russian oligarchs due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, many of his yachts are subject to seizure in various countries so ownership of them was hard to determine. Even now it’s speculated he may own many others.

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• Eclipse, the third biggest superyacht in the world

Eclipse Yacht

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Designer Terry Disdale tells us about four and a half years of the world's third largest superyacht with a length of 162.5 meters and nine decks.

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From ‘Solaris’ to ‘Eclipse’, comparing Roman Abramovich’s yachts by size and amenities

If one has to get a glimpse of what money can buy, the yachts of Roman Abramovich would perhaps be an excellent indicator. The Chelsea football club owner is renowned for his love of some of the world’s most beautiful sailing vessels whose majestic interiors can rival those of European palaces.

Roman Abramovich can buy any number of ships or yachts he wants. After all, Forbes estimates his net worth at around US$14.6 billion (or RM68 billion as of 31 August, 2021).

Besides Chelsea FC, the Russian-origin Israeli citizen has stakes in steel giant Evraz and mining company Norilsk Nickel. In 2005, Abramovich made US$13 billion (RM54 billion) by selling his 73 percent stake in the Russian oil firm, Sibneft, to Gazprom.

Abramovich was the governor of the Chukotka region in the Russian Far East from 2001 to 2013. During the period, he spent US$2.5 billion (RM10.4 billion) on the development of the region.

The billionaire’s fascination with gigantic luxury yachts is a reflection of the automotive toys , ranging from supercars to some of the swankiest private jets, the ultra-rich love to splurge on .

While Abramovich’s fleet will soon have a new member, Solaris , the current crown jewel among his vessels is Eclipse — one of the world’s three largest yachts. There are others, which he either owns or has sold off.

The boats are examples of excellent design. They are sleek, powerful, easily manoeuvrable, well-balanced and technologically advanced.

Roman Abramovich is only 54 years old and consistently adding to his wealth from investments and ownerships. While he narrows down to his future spectacle, let’s take a look at some of the past and present gems of his private collection of superyachts.

Roman Abramovich’s superyachts ranked by size and amenities: 

( Main and Featured images: Feadship )

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• Le Grand Bleu

Superyacht Solaris is close to completion and will be Roman Abramovich’s new craft on the waters once it is launched. Though not much is known about the boat, the Solaris was photographed during the second of its sea trials in the North Sea and attracted media attention.

SuperYacht Times reports that the Solaris is designed by Australian interior designer Marc Newson and built by Lloyd Werft, a German shipyard. It has a helipad and outdoor beach club setup at the stern (rear of a sailing craft). It also has a swimming pool.

It has two nine megawatts Azipods, which, according to SuperYacht Times , are the most powerful ever fitted on a yacht. The Solaris has eight decks, and it can reportedly accommodate a staff of 60 and 36 passengers in its 18 super luxurious cabins. It is estimated to cost US$600 million (RM2.5 billion).

Nonetheless, the Solaris , which measures around 140 metres, is not the largest yacht in Abramovich’s armada — that credit goes to Eclipse .

The superyacht Eclipse measures a massive 162.5 metres. Abramovich bought the ship in 2010 and is still in his possession. The most unique feature of the Eclipse is that it has a missile detection system, and the master suite has bulletproof windows.

Designed by Terry Disdale and made by German shipbuilder Blohm+Voss, it took about five years to build the Eclipse . It was the world’s biggest yacht till the 180-metre-long superyacht Azzam , which is owned by UAE President Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, took away the crown in 2013.

The Eclipse is a technological marvel. One of its two swimming pools can be used as a dance floor by bringing up the granite floor at deck level with the touch of a button. It can carry three helicopters at the same time — one each on its two helipads and one in the hangar below the foredeck. It has a submarine, which can dive to a depth of around 50 metres.

The giant vessel has nine decks with a range of luxurious services to opt from. The Eclipse features many amenities — including a cinema hall and a sauna — that one can expect in a superyacht. The Eclipse cost Roman Abramovich US$590 million (RM2.4 billion) at the time of purchase, and its beach house style interiors showcase the finest in Art Deco, lending it a timeless feel.

The Eclipse is powerful. It can attain a maximum speed of 21 knots and travel 6,000 nautical miles on a full tank. The yacht can house up to 36 guests in its 18 cabins and needs 70 people for operations.

It underwent a refit in 2015. Reports indicate that it is still counted among the priciest yachts of the world with a valuation ranging between US$600 million (RM2.48 billion) to US$1.5 billion (RM6.2 billion).

Before Eclipse became a prized possession of Roman Abramovich, it was this 112.8-metre luxury yacht which was the finest in his collection. Built in 2000 by now-bankrupt German shipbuilder Bremer Vulkan, it has 10 guest cabins which can house 20 guests. It has a crew of 35 supporting operations.

Abramovich bought the Le Grand Bleu from its previous owner US telecommunications baron John McCaw. The Chelsea FC owner then had it remodified, adding a pool measuring 5 metres. In 2006, the billionaire sold it to his friend, oil tycoon Eugene Shvidler, who is its current owner.

The Le Grand Bleu comes with its own fleet of smaller boats, a landing craft and two 11-metre sports boats. It was in the news in 2017 when some tourists were unable to see the Statue of Liberty because the superyacht blocked the view.

The Ecstasea was designed by De Voogt Naval Architects and built at The Feadship Royal Van Lent Shipyard in the Netherlands in 2004. According to Superyacht Times , the yacht measures 85.95 metres and has four MTU engines alongside one General Electric engine. The combined power gives the Ecstasea an incredible top speed of around 33 knots.

It has state of art rooms designed in Asian decor by Terence Disdale, and an array of luxurious amenities accentuate its plush eight cabins. The Ecstasea is designed for the stay of 15 occupants, with a supporting squad of 27 to man the boat.

It also has a helipad at the front, where the platform can be lowered and doors on either side can be closed over the helipad to turn it into a hangar.

The Ecstasea was sold by Abramovich in 2009.

The Sussurro was designed for speed. According to its maker, Feadship, the machine, which was built in 1998, has two Paxman diesels and twin TF40 gas turbines that power three water jets. The combined 15,000 HP can take the all-aluminium craft to a top speed of 46 knots — enough to ensure that the owner can reach remote diving spots quickly.

De Voogt Naval Architects and Don Shead were responsible for its exterior design. Terence Disdale did the interiors, which look like a mix of culturally infused objects he has collected during his travels to places in Africa and Asia, such as Zulu and Bali, respectively.

Lightweight to near-weightless materials have been used to make the total weight of the boat within prescribed limits to meet the speed factor. The 162.5-metre-long Sussurro can accommodate 12 guests in its six cabins. It also has five cabins for 12 supporting staff to operate the boat.

Abramovich had bought it from its original Middle-Eastern owner. According to a November 2020 report by Boat International , Sussurro is currently valued at around US$22 million (RM91 million) only.

Measuring 115 metres, Luna was built at Lloyd Werft and delivered to Roman Abramovich in 2010. While its exteriors were designed by German ship designer Newcruise, the Luna ’s tasteful interiors have been done by Donald Starkey.

Known as an “explorer yacht”, its steel hull can cut through ice floes. It has two helipads, a covered swimming pool, a beach club that goes down to the swim platform and designated areas for sunbathing.

The Luna has nine decks. It can accommodate a 50-member crew and take up to 18 guests in its nine staterooms. It has two diesel electric engines that give it a top speed of around 22 knots.

When it was delivered to Abramovich, he took it for a cruise with his family around the Kristiansand Archipelago.

Azerbaijani businessman Farkhad Akhmedov bought it from Abramovich for about US$300 million (RM1.24 billion) in 2014. Then, it underwent a refit for an estimated US$50 million (RM207 million). Today, it is at the centre of the divorce case between Akhmedov and his former wife Tatiana Akhmedova.

Currently owned by billionaire and Hong Kong property tycoon Samuel Tak Lee, Pelorus was originally commissioned for a Saudi Arabian businessman who quickly sold it to Abramovich in 2003.

Pelorus has two Wärtsilä engines and can reach a top speed of 20 knots. It can house 18 guests in nine cabins and requires around 40 people for maintenance and operations.

Measuring 115 metres in length, the Pelorus was built at the Krogerwerft shipyard of German shipbuilder Lurssen. Its exterior has been designed by Tim Heywood while Disdale’s style is evident from the interiors, which exudes a luxurious beach house vibe.

Heywood made the best use of the size of the vessel and built two helipads, two swimming pools, a lido and a transom that opens to form a sea-level platform. The master suite has a private deck that can’t be seen from any part of the Pelorus .

Abramovich had once lent the vessel to Chelsea FC players John Terry and Frank Lampard after the club’s English Premier League win. Additionally, Terry took his wife Toni on their honeymoon on the Pelorus in 2007.

In 2011, American film mogul David Geffen purchased the Pelorus for US$300 million (RM1.24 billion). Geffen then sold it the same year for US$214 million (RM888 million) to a royal family in the UAE.

Manas Sen Gupta

Manas Sen Gupta writes at the intersection of tech, entertainment and history. His works have appeared in publications such as The Statesman, Myanmar Matters, Hindustan Times and News18/ETV. In his spare time, Manas loves studying interactive charts and topographic maps. When not doing either, he prefers reading detective fiction. Spring is his favourite season and he can happily eat a bowl of noodles any time of the day.

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A Chronicle of Current Events

For human rights & freedom of expression in the ussr, the podrabinek case, dec 1977 to feb 1978 (48.7).

<<No 48 : 14 March 1978>>

On 1 December 1977, the brothers Alexander and Kirill PODRABINEK (CCE 47) and their father Pinkhos Abramovich PODRABINEK were summoned for a chat by Yu.S. Belov, chief of a department at the Moscow City and Regional KGB. Alexander refused to appear.

“On behalf of the Committee for State Security ” (Belov told Kirill and his father Pinkhos Podrabinek)

“I suggest that you and your families leave the Soviet Union and go abroad via Israel within 20 days. There is enough material against you, Kirill Pinkhosovich, to institute criminal proceedings. You, Pinkhos Abramovich, are also known to us for your anti-social activities. An act of humanity is being offered to you both. I advise you to make use of it.”

Alexander (b. 1953) and Kirill Podrabinek (b. 1952)

The same evening Alexander Podrabinek was arrested on the street and taken to the KGB. Belov presented him, too, with an ultimatum: all three must leave the country, otherwise criminal proceedings would be instituted against both brothers.

Belov let it be understood that the absence of an invitation and difficulties with money would not be obstacles. Belov stressed that they could only leave all together.

HOSTAGE-TAKING

Many painful disputes have sprung up around the moral problems arising from KGB’s ultimatums and blackmail. The Chronicle cannot present the arguments but at least it can accurately convey the stance of participants in such events by reproducing all their statements in sufficient detail.

On 6 December 1977, there was a press conference at Andrei Sakharov ’s flat. Pinkhos PODRABINEK read out a “Statement for the Belgrade Conference [note 1] and the Press”:

“A distinctive feature of this case is the KGB’s use of the hostage system. Not one of us can determine his own fate independently, and a decision about the fate of three people has been placed by the KGB on Alexander Podrabinek alone, in whose departure the authorities are most of all interested. “We categorically refuse to accept such conditions and insist on our right to make our choices independently…”

Then Alexander PODRABINEK read out his “Reply” to the KGB’s proposal:

“I would like to draw the attention of the world public to my brother’s painful position and to the dirty tactics of the KGB — tactics of intimidation and terror. The whole world condemns the hijacking of aeroplanes and the taking of passengers as hostages, yet the KGB is using the very same method with regard to my brother, a method commonly used by terrorists. In the situation that has arisen the most painful thing for me is my brother’s fate. “At the KGB they insistently advised me to take advantage of this ‘humane act of the Soviet government’, as they expressed it. I regard this proposal as unconcealed blackmail by the KGB. “They have given me four days to reflect. On 5 December I have to give my reply. A reply that means a great deal to me. “This is my reply.

“I do not wish to go to prison. I value even the semblance of freedom which I possess now. I know that I would be able to live freely in the West and at last receive a real education. I know that there I would not have four agents at my heels, threatening to beat me up or push me under a train.

“Over there, I know, they will not put me in a concentration camp or a psychiatric hospital for attempting to defend people who are denied their rights and oppressed. Over there, I know, one breathes easily. While here one does so with difficulty, and they stop your mouth and stifle you if you speak too loudly. I know that our country is unhappy and doomed to suffering.

“And that is why I am staying.

“I do not want to go to prison, but neither do I fear a camp. I value my own freedom as I value my brother’s, but I am not bargaining for it. I will not give in to any blackmail.

“A clear conscience is dearer to me than material well-being. I was born in Russia. This is my country, and I must remain here, however hard it may be and however easy in the West. As far as I am able, I will go on defending those whose rights are being so brazenly trampled on in our country.

“That is my reply. I am staying.”

After this Alexander Podrabinek added that he would agree to leave the country only if Kirill were to ask him to do so.

On 7 December 1977, Kirill PODRABINEK made a statement:

KGB Blackmail

1. The KGB is using the hostage-taking method. They are basically blackmailing my brother Alexander, while I am the hostage. 2. The very formulation of the question: ‘leave or we will put you in prison’, is contrary to the law. If a man has committed a crime he must be prosecuted. However, in this case the KGB does not want to stage a new political trial but prefers to dispatch us abroad. The KGB has employed a well-calculated device — to exploit the insolubility of a situation with a hostage. All this blackmail is patently a consequence of the public stand taken by our family … “If any one of the three of us is arrested and any charge whatsoever brought against him, it can only be viewed as an act of revenge by the KGB and not as a requirement of justice.”

On 12 December 1977, Kirill Podrabinek informed Belov that he had decided to leave. Belov replied that Kirill could hand in his emigration documents, and on the same day Kirill did so. On 14 December Kirill Podrabinek made an addition to his previous statement:

“On 12 December, I telephoned investigator Belov at the KGB. Permission to go abroad has been granted; there was no mention of my only being able to leave only with my brother. Does this mean that the KGB has given up its hostage-taking and will really allow me to leave? In the very near future this will become clear … In view of all the circumstances, and fearing for my life” (see CCE 47) “I have taken the decision to leave.” *

KIRILL PODRABINEK (b. 1952)

On 27 December 1977, the police in Elektrostal (Moscow Region) brought charges against Kirill Podrabinek under Article 215 (RSFSR Criminal Code: “Illegal possession of arms, ammunition” etc). Kirill refused to sign the record of this charge. Investigator Radygin obtained his written undertaking not to leave town but said he would not need Kirill before the middle of January and, if need be, he could go to Moscow.

When Kirill Podrabinek came out of the Elektrostal police station he was met at the door by KGB Investigator Belov, who had arrived from Moscow. The condition of Kirill’s departure remained unchanged, Belov said, and gave him three days in which to persuade his brother to agree to leave.

From that day onwards, KGB employees began trailing Kirill Podrabinek . (His brother Alexander had been under a similar “escort” since 10 October 1977, see below). The same day 22 Muscovites issued a statement:

“Wishing to force Alexander Podrabinek to leave the country, the KGB is openly blackmailing him with his brother’s fate. A method of hostage-taking used thus far only by irresponsible criminal-terrorists is in the present case being adopted as a weapon by the official representatives of a powerful State. This blackmail clearly demonstrates the value of the charges brought against Kirill Podrabinek. “We call upon our fellow countrymen and world public opinion to protest against the use of hostage-taking, unprecedented in the practice of civilized states. We call upon our fellow countrymen and world public opinion to follow attentively the fate of the Podrabinek family.”

On 28 December Kirill Podrabinek made a statement:

State Terrorism

“… The KGB has resorted to hostage-taking. My brother Alexander has made a statement for the press saying that he does not wish to leave, but he will leave if I so demand. “Under no circumstances will I make this demand of Alexander. In the first place, that would mean becoming a blind instrument of blackmail in the hands of the KGB, exploiting a situation created by them for my own sake. In the second place, it is impossible for me to even ask, let alone demand such a thing. “However, I have resolved to pursue my chosen line of action and try to obtain permission to leave.”

On the evening of 29 December 1977, Kirill Podrabinek was arrested.

On the day of his arrest, he declared a hunger strike. After a few days he was transferred from Elektrostal to Moscow, to the MVD’s detention centre on Matrosskaya Tishina Street.

The first response to Kirill’s arrest was “The Christmas ‘Feat’ of the KGB”, a short article by Victor Nekipelov [note 2]:

“… The arrest of Kirill Podrabinek is an act of deliberate, demonstrative revenge. The authorities know full well that they are thereby dealing the severest blow to both Alexander Podrabinek – Take that for not accepting our offer! – and to his father — While you didn’t steer your sons to a compromise!”

On 1 January 1978, Yevgeny Nikolayev (see “In the Psychiatric Hospitals”, CCE 48.12 ) sent a letter to the RSFSR Procurator’s Office, protesting against the arrest of Kirill Podrabinek.

On 4 January 1978, Alexander and Pinkhos Podrabinek asked Belov for a meeting with Kirill.

Belov refused but promised to pass Kirill a note from them, “if there are no objections on the part of the investigator”. In the note Alexander and his father asked Kirill: “Do you agree to leave if there is no need to ask Alexander to do the same?”

On the same day, at 11.30 pm, Belov came to Elektrostal to see Pinkhos Podrabinek . He informed him that the investigator “had not allowed” the note to be passed to Kirill. If Alexander handed in his application to emigrate within three days, however, all three could leave the USSR. Otherwise, Alexander  would also be arrested. Belov suggested that P.A. Podrabinek go at once to Moscow and persuade Alexander to change his mind: he even gave Pinkhos Abramovich a lift back to Moscow in his car.

On 5 January 1978, Alexander Podrabinek appealed in an open letter to Amnesty International, calling on the organisation to speak out in Kirill’s defence.

On 9 January Alexander Podrabinek telephoned Belov at the KGB. When Belov asked if he intended to leave, Alexander replied that he could only decide this matter together with his brother.

On 15 January 1978, the Christian Committee for the Defence of Believers’ Rights in the USSR called upon “world public opinion” to speak out in defence of Kirill Podrabinek and condemn the policy of hostage-taking.

At the beginning of February 1978, the Podrabineks were summoned to Elektrostal for interrogation in connection with Kirill’s case.

Pinkhos Podrabinek replied to questions about Kirill but refused to sign a record of the interrogation. Alexander declined to answer questions, stating that the case was inspired by the KGB and was being conducted with violations of norms laid down in the Code of Criminal Procedure.

ALEXANDER PODRABINEK (b. 1953)

From 10 October 1977, Alexander Podrabinek was under constant KGB surveillance. Round the clock he was pursued by two cars carrying seven or eight employees of the security services.

Whenever he was inside a building the cars stood in front of the doorway. Whenever he walked along the street or travelled in public transport there were always several agents at his side. They threatened Alexander’s acquaintances and took photographs of them. Sometimes they interfered more actively with the life of their charge: on Sunday 18 December the escort prohibited Alexander from going skiing with friends in the Orekhovo-Borisovo district [Moscow Region]. Podrabinek wrote about this incident to [KGB chairman] Andropov:

“… Since 10 October of this year I have been under the continuous and unconcealed observation of our glorious Chekists. Defending the State’s security, I understand, it is essential for the KGB to search my home, call me as a witness in the case of Yury Orlov, suggest that I leave the USSR, blackmail me, make an attempt on my brother’s life, and do much else to ensure that I do not, accidentally, undermine the foundations of the Soviet political and social system. All this I understand. “I am not even particularly annoyed when one of the eight officers who perpetually watch over me swears he will break my legs or push me under a train. I understand the full difficulty of this highly complex, responsible and dangerous work and do not get angry with these heroic young people who, performing their civic duty, freeze on cold December nights outside the entrance to my house or squeeze after me onto a city bus in the rush-hour. I am enraptured by their daring, their persistence and their indifference to the cold … “Citizen Andropov! On behalf of myself and six of my friends I beg you: Provide your employees with skis and toboggans and, please, teach them how to use them, if they do not know. Then I shall be able to enjoy my on Sundays and the KGB will be able to work normally and not violate the Soviet Constitution. This can only enhance the reputation of our valiant organs and promote their physical development.”

From January 1978, the constant “escort” was replaced from time to time by ‘ordinary’ shadowing.

The security services are trying by any means to prevent Alexander Podrabinek from continuing his activities on the Working Commission (to Investigate the Use of Psychiatry for Political Purposes). In particular, they are hampering him from meeting, in the flats of his Moscow friends, people who have been subjected to “psychiatric persecution” and their relatives. Podrabinek and his friend Dmitry Leontyev , in whose flat he was living, were fined for violating the city residence regulations. Podrabinek was forbidden to continue residing at the flat.

Alexander Podrabinek was warned that he was liable to be charged with “parasitism”. In February 1978, having given his shadow the slip, he managed to get a job as a medical orderly (he is a qualified paramedic).

The pre-trial investigation of Kirill Podrabinek ’s case was completed in February 1978.

=======================

[1] Representatives of all 35 member-States of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) assembed in the Yugoslav capital Belgrade to discuss the implementation of the 1975 Helsinki Accords five years on.

[2] Victor Nekipelov

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RPV and steam generators delivered to Rooppur unit 2

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A VVER-1200 reactor vessel and four steam generators for unit 2 of the Rooppur NPP under construction in Bangladesh have been delivered to the site, ASE announced on 10 August. ASE, Rosatom's Engineering Division, is the general contractor for the plant. The heavy equipment of the unit 2 reactor compartment (reactor pressure vessel (RPV) - 333.6 tons; the steam generator - 340 tons) was manufactured at the Atommash plant in Volgodonsk, a branch of the AEM-technologies (part of Rosatom’s mechanical engineering division, Atomenergomash).

It took more than two months to transport the cargo. From the Atommash site, the equipment was transported to the special berth of the Tsimlyansk reservoir in Volgodonsk, loaded onto barges and delivered to Novorossiysk port by waterway. The sea route of the equipment from Novorossiysk on the cargo ship, Anna, to the Bangladesh seaport of Mongla - through the Black Sea and the Suez Canal - was about 14,000 kilometres.

Manufacture of the VVER-1200 reactor vessel took more than two years and all operations were carried out with the direct participation of representatives of the authorised organisation, the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC) and the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority (BAERA). In October last year, the RPV and steam generators for Rooppur 1 were delivered to Bangladesh. It is planned to install the RPV in September. Rooppur NPP is being built by Rosatom with two VVER-1200 reactors. Rooppur 1 is currently scheduled to start operating 2023, followed by Rooppur 2 a year later.

Meanwhile, a high-ranking delegation from Bangladesh on 11 August visited Rosatom’s Mashinostroitelny Zavod (MSZ - Machine-Building Plant), in Elektrostal, Moscow Region, part of Rosatom’s Fuel Company TVEL. The delegation included Minister of Science and Technology Yafesh Osman, BAEC Chairman Sanovar Hussein, and the head BAERA, Muzammel Haq. TVEL will supply nuclear fuel for both VVER-1200 power units a Rooppur NPP until the end of their service life.

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Jewish Encyclopedia of Russia Surnames starting with the letter P

Translated by josif and vitaly charny.

The following list is a translation of names and minimal personal data for 8,500 people included in Jewish Encyclopedia of Russia (Rossiyskaya Evreiskaya Entsiclopediya); first edition; 1995, Moscow.

Famous people who are listed in the book, which in fact is a biographical dictionary, were born in Russia, the USSR, the Russian Empire, or lived there. This is the first edition of this kind in Russia and a large group of specialists from Russia, Israel and other countries participated in the project.

There are many more well known people in Russia to be included in the next edition of the book. We have to remember that the success of many of these people was achieved against all odds related to limited opportunities that Jews had in Russia.

The translation is an attempt to inform people about this additional source available for researchers.

Vitaly Charny

A    B    C    D    E    F    G    H   I    J    K    L    M    N    O    P    Q   R    S    T    U    V    W    X   Y    Z   

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