$500-million superyacht 'Nord', owned by Putin's ally, crosses Hormuz — Report
المصدر: Gulf News | Source: Gulf NewsA superyacht linked to Russian President Vladimir Putin's close ally, sanctioned billionaire Alexey Mordashov, sailed through the blockaded Strait of Hormuz over the April 25-27 weekend, highlighting elite privileges amid escalating US-Iran tensions.
The 142-metre (465-foot) Nord — valued at $500 million+ with luxuries like a pool, helipad, and submarine — reportedly departed a Gulf port Friday night, crossed the strait Saturday using an Iran-declared "safe lane," and docked in Muscat, Oman, Sunday, per MarineTraffic data.
Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf News app now - simply click here.Mordashov, chairman of steel giant Severstal and under US/UK/EU sanctions since Russia's 2022 Ukraine invasion, denies ownership; it's registered to a firm tied to his wife, the BBC reported.
Putin hosts Araghchi in St Petersburg
According to Ynet News, the transit coincides with Iran-Russia diplomacy: Putin hosted Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in St. Petersburg Monday, praising Iran's "courageous" sovereignty fight against US/Israel pressure.
Araghchi hailed the Russia-Iran "strategic partnership" on X, amid stalled peace talks and President Trump's US blockade on Iranian ports.
Maritime woes have spiked Brent crude to $109/barrel up nearly 2% on Tuesday (April 28, 2026), fueling global inflation fears in this oil chokepoint flashpoint.
Iran announced a near-total blockade on the strait — chokepoint for 20% of global oil — after late February clashes with the US/Israel, redirecting 37+ vessels via US Central Command.
Nord, one of few private yachts to pass, raises questions of special permissions.
No official clearance details emerged, fueling speculation of backchannel deals in the oil-war flashpoint.
ملاحظة تحريرية | Editorial Note: نُشر هذا المقال في الأصل بواسطة Gulf News. خبر (Khabr) هي منصة إعلامية أردنية مرخّصة تعمل بالذكاء الاصطناعي. نضيف قيمة تحريرية من خلال: تحليل ذكي للأخبار، ملخصات تلقائية، رواية صوتية بالذكاء الاصطناعي، ترجمة متعددة اللغات، وتدقيق الحقائق. هدفنا جعل الأخبار أكثر وضوحاً وسهولةً للقارئ العربي.
This article was originally published by Gulf News. Khabr is a licensed Jordanian AI-powered news platform (Registration #82086). We add editorial value through: AI-powered news analysis, automated summaries, AI audio narration, multi-language translation (Arabic, English, French, Turkish), and AI fact-checking. Our mission is to make news more accessible and understandable for Arabic-speaking audiences worldwide.
