
Finance police in Italy have seized a superyacht belonging to a Russian billionaire , as per Italian prime minister's office. The supeyacht belongs to Andrey Melnichenko. The action has come just a few days after the businessman was placed on European sanctions list.
The 143-metre (470-foot) Sailing Yacht A, which has a price tag of 530 million euros ($578 million), has been sequestered at the northern port of Trieste, the government said.
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Designed by Philippe Starck and built by Nobiskrug in Germany, the vessel is the world's biggest sailing yacht, the government said.
Melnichenko owns major fertiliser producer EuroChem Group and coal company SUEK.
Last week Italian police seized villas and yachts worth 143 million euros from five high-profile Russians who have been placed on the sanctions list.
The police operations were part of a coordinated drive by Western states to penalise wealthy Russians linked to President Vladimir Putin.
(With inputs from agencies)