ROYAL ROMANCE
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Seized superyacht of Russian politician Viktor Medvedchuk to be sold
Ukraine’s Asset Recovery and Management Agency (ARMA) announced on April 2, 2026, that it has started practical steps for the sale of the 'Royal Romance' after completing key legal procedures, as the case moved into its final stage. The yacht is linked to the Russian politician Viktor Medvedchuk, who was placed under sanctions in 2021 by Ukraine’s National Security and Defence Council, which included freezing his assets and seizing property connected to him. The yacht is currently under the jurisdiction of Croatia. it has been transferred to the ARMA for management and sale based on a ruling by an investigating judge. One of the main developments in the case was the completion of the pre-trial investigation. Ukraine’s Prosecutor General’s Office has already sent the indictment to court, and the case was now in its trial stage. Legal documents related to the case have also been shared with Croatian authorities as part of international legal cooperation. The ARMA was working on valuing the yacht, deciding how it could be sold, and making sure the process remained transparent and open.The plan included recognising the Ukrainian court decision, completing the sale, and transferring the money to state accounts. The funds were then to be distributed between jurisdictions as required. The case has faced resistance from parties linked to Medvedchuk. This included attempts to delay the process and use legal steps to block the progress. Such actions were, however, expected by the ARMA, and the risks have already been reported to the relevant authorities. At the same time, the ARMA is also handling other assets connected to Medvedchuk. In the case of the yacht 'Amore Mio', the main difficulty was finding its location.To address this, the agency worked with international organisations such as Interpol, Europol and the IMO. As a result, the vessel has been added to Interpol’s Stolen Vessels database, allowing authorities around the world to track its movements.
Seized oligarch yacht to undergo maintenance before being sold under Ukrainian law
The 'Royal Romance', which has been seized in Split in 2022, is set to be temporarily relocated to the port of Trogir for mandatory technical maintenance, according to an announcement by Ukraine’s National Asset Recovery and Management Agency (ARMA on June 16, 2025). The agency confirmed that the transfer will take place under the escort of both a police vessel and a private maritime security firm. Following theinspection, the yacht will be returned to its current berth at the Croatian naval base in Split. The ARMA emphasised that the vessel remains under arrest and in the joint custody of Ukrainian and Croatian authorities. Once the 'Royal Romance' is back in Split, the agency stated it intends to approach the Prosecutor General’s Office to revive efforts to sell the asset under Ukrainian law.
Croatian court has canceled seizure of oligarch yacht which remains detained
A Croatian court has canceled the seizure of the 'Royal Romance' of Viktor Medvedchuk's collaborator due to the lack of an indictment in a criminal case from the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine. This decision threatened to lose an asset worth $200 million , which could significantly support the Ukrainian budget and army. On June 25, the District Court of Split ruled to cancel the arrest of traitor Viktor Medvedchuk's yacht. The decision stated that the reason for the arrest was the absence of an indictment in a criminal case from the Office of the Prosecutor General . In April 2022, the Split District Court seized Medvedchuk's property at the request of the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine. The seizure was extended six times , but in May 2024, the selected auction house, which was supposed to sell the asset, refused to make a deal due to the work of Medvedchuk's lawyers from the international law firm Steptoe . Delays in the investigation of criminal proceedings against Medvedchuk led to the fact that the arrest of the yacht was canceled . The absence of an indictment was the key reason for this decision. Thus, ARMA cannot enforce national court decisions to sell the vessel, and Ukraine risks losing this expensive asset. The yacht is valued at $200 million. The Asset Recovery and Management Agency (ARMA) put up for sale the seized ATVs of collaborator Viktor Medvedchuk and contraband electronics, including smartphones and tablets, on the Prozorro.Sale platform. The acquisition of these assets will bring significant financial revenues to the state and contribute to the development of the economy. PGO: Medvedchuk's yacht in Croatia seized indefinitely However, the yacht remains under indefinite seizure in line with EU sanctions, the Prosecutor General's Office (PGO) emphasizes under two proceedings against the former MP, in which the specified person has the status of a suspect or accused. The prosecutors from the Prosecutor General's Office, together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, continued to take measures to confiscate and sell the ship. Since 2022, the court has been considering an indictment on the facts of high treason and violation of the laws and customs of war by the former MP. In another proceeding - on the facts of assistance to the activities of terrorist organizations "L/DPR" - a pretrial investigation has been completed. Through the joint efforts of the PGO, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and thanks to the evidence base collected by the SBU and the SBI, the EU institutions and authorized persons were provided with the information necessary to make a decision on imposing sanctions on the assets of the former MP, including the yacht Royal Romance. As a result, on May 27, the European Union imposed personal sanctions against the suspect and his wife. The 'Royal Romance' is currently under seizure on the basis of indefinite sanctions in the port of Trogir and cannot leave the EU territory. Joint work continues with the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and international partners to develop a mechanism for its confiscation and sale.
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