Last week, Russian-born business magnate Oleg Tinkov was removed from the United Kingdom’s sanctions list, following an appeal by British industrialist Richard Branson. Tinkov is the first of the Russian industrialists and oligarchs sanctioned following the Ukraine conflict to be removed from the list. The banker’s $100 million icebreaker superyacht La Datcha began transmitting its location data shortly after the announcement. La Datcha, like many other megayachts belonging to sanctioned Russian oligarchs, went silent shortly after Tinkov’s name was added to the sanctions list.
Tinkov, the founder of digital bank Tinkoff, was sanctioned by the United Kingdom a month after the conflict began in February 2022, claiming the 55-year-old to be “a prominent Russian businessman” engaged in an area of strategic importance to the Russian government, as reported by Reuters. Tinkov renounced his Russian citizenship in October of last year and urged other prominent Russian industrialists to do the same in response to Moscow’s actions in Ukraine. As a result, he was compelled to sell his Tinkoff Bank stock. Interestingly, neither the United States nor the European Union have sanctioned Tinkov.
La Datcha’s Triton submersible.Through Charterworld
Tinkov’s UK assets were blocked and he was prohibited from entering the UK while he was under sanctions. In May of last year, in order to prevent the authorities from seizing his cherished possession, the vessel’s AIS transponders were turned off to prevent their live location from being transmitted. The last location transmitted by the superyacht before it went dark was Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, Mexico, according to AIS data.
Tinkov’s Dassault Falcon 8X aircraft.Via Instagram / @olegtinkov
Additionally, Tinkov’s 2018 Dassault Falcon 8X M-TINK aircraft, valued at $63 million, went dark around the same time to avoid being seized. Once the prominent financier was removed from the sanctions list, the $100 million superyacht reappeared on AIS tracking websites and was free to move. According to Marine Traffic, La Datcha recently sailed from Cabo San Lucas to Ensenada, another port city in Mexico, where it is currently anchored.
Via Instagram / @yachtcharterfleet
La Datcha is a pioneering expedition yacht.The revolutionary expedition yacht La Datcha was commissioned in 2019 by Oleg Tinkov, who was extensively involved in the design process. The $100 million superyacht constructed by Damen Yachting is said to be the world’s first private icebreaker. It is the first vessel in Damen’s SeaXplorer 77 expedition yacht series, and Tinkov will receive it by the end of 2020. The superyacht was designed specifically for exploratory voyages and can easily reach the most remote regions of the planet, including the icy extremes.
The outdoor dining area.Through Charterworld
The 77-meter-long Ice Class vessel’s hull is equipped with a high tensile belt, increased plate thickness, and additional intermediate ice framing, allowing it to break through ice 16 inches thick. In addition, La Datcha can operate autonomously for up to forty days at sea, making it a genuine expedition yacht.
The exterior of the vessel was designed by Azure Yacht Design and Naval Architecture and is bronze and white. On the other hand, Amels, Damen’s superyacht division, was responsible for the interior design. The vessel has sufficient space to accommodate up to 12 visitors in six cabins, each with a walk-in closet and private bathroom. La Datcha is equipped with a dive center, ski room with avalanche safety equipment, and two tender garages for expeditions packed with excitement.
Through Charterworld
Two beach lander tenders, two expedition RIBs, two snow scooters, and a three-person submarine comprise the ship’s assortment of vehicles. In addition, La Datcha is equipped with two Airbus H125 helicopters, a certified helideck, and a hangar.
The main bedroom.Through Charterworld
Don’t be deceived into believing that La Datcha is merely an expedition vessel and not a luxury superyacht. The yacht was formerly characterized by Damen as the “ultimate synthesis of superyacht quality and finish with serious capability.” It has all the high-end amenities one would expect from a yacht of its scale. In addition to a hospital onboard, the ship features a Turkish retreat and other five-star amenities.
The bar and amusement area.Through Charterworld
A protected observation deck in the bow that provides unobstructed views of the environs is one of the highlights. Before discovering that his name was on the sanctions list, Tinkov intended to use the explorer for twenty weeks per year.
With succulent.Through Charterworld
Time will tell whether additional oligarchs and merchants are removed from the sanctions list.