June 30, 2026
A German court has ruled that the European Union’s sanctions no longer apply to a superyacht previously linked by media reports to Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov after finding insufficient evidence that he controls the trust that owns the vessel, Bloomberg reported
The administrative court in Frankfurt ruled that authorities failed to establish a connection between Usmanov and The Sister Trust, the entity that formally owns the Dilbar yacht, or to prove that the billionaire exercises influence over the trust, Bloomberg said. The decision is not yet final and can be appealed
Germany’s Federal Office for Economic Affairs and Export Control (BAFA), which defended the sanctions in court, declined to comment German shipbuilder Lürssen and a representative for The Sister Trust did not respond to requests for comment. A spokesperson for Usmanov said the billionaire welcomed the ruling
Lürssen continued maintaining Dilbar at its Hamburg shipyard after the European Union imposed sanctions on Usmanov in 2022. In 2025, the company filed suit seeking a declaration that EU sanctions no longer applied to the vessel, allowing it to bill the yacht’s owners for maintenance costs
Monthly upkeep for Dilbar had previously been estimated at around $2 million, with annual operating costs exceeding $70 million
The lawsuit followed the European Union’s decision in March 2025 to remove Usmanov’s sister, Gulbakhor Ismailova, from its sanctions list. Ismailova is the principal beneficiary of The Sister Trust. The court said the trust’s name alone was insufficient to establish a legal connection to Usmanov, Bloomberg reported
Built by Lürssen in 2016, the 156-meter (512-foot) Dilbar is among the world’s largest private yachts. Named after Usmanov’s mother, the vessel can accommodate up to 40 guests and a crew of about 100. It features a 25-meter swimming pool, two helipads, a spa and a gym
The U.S. Treasury Department estimated the yacht’s value at between $600 million and $750 million in 2022
The ruling is the latest legal development involving Dilbar. In a separate case, a Hamburg regional court barred Luxembourg-based media company Mediahuis Luxembourg from describing Usmanov as the yacht’s owner, finding that such claims had not been substantiated. The court said violations of the order could result in fines of up to 250,000 euros ($293,000) per instance
Read this article in Russian at The Moscow Times’ Russian service
Read more about:
Billionaires
, Germany
, Sanctions
, Europe
A Message from The Moscow Times:
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia’s Prosecutor General’s Office has designated The Moscow Times as an “undesirable” organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a “foreign agent.”
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work “discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership.” We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It’s quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact
By supporting The Moscow Times, you’re defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
Not ready to support today? Remind me later.
×
Remind me next month
Remind me
Thank you! Your reminder is set.
We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy.
EU Weighs Handing Raiffeisen $2Bln in Deripaska-Linked Strabag Shares – FT
EU ambassadors were expected to discuss the plan in Brussels on Friday, with “several” member states likely to object, the FT reported.
2 Min read
EU Court Annuls Sanctions on Russian Billionaire Dmitry Pumpyansky
Pumpyansky, whose fortune is estimated at $2.9 billion, was first sanctioned in March 2022.
1 Min read
Germany: New Russia Sanctions ‘Cannot Be Ruled Out’
The EU is weighing its response to the Navalny case. But the controversial Nord Stream 2 pipeline should still go ahead, Berlin says.
Germany Bends EU Rules to Give Russia Spot at G20 Berlin Meeting
The German government has reclassified a G20 meeting as an OSCE event in order to allow Russia to take part, German news outlet Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland…
