A luxury superyacht linked to Russian President Vladimir Putin has left European waters under heavy naval escort, with reports suggesting the vessel is being moved north to reduce the risk of Ukrainian drone attacks. Maritime tracking data and satellite imagery indicate the 82-metre yacht, Graceful, is sailing along Norway's coastline towards the Arctic port of Murmansk. The journey comes as Ukraine expands long-range strikes against Russian military and strategic targets. Heavy Escort Signals Security Fears The yacht, reportedly worth around £100 million, has been seen travelling with anti-drone netting while escorted by two Russian Navy vessels, including the Udaloy-class destroyer Severomorsk and the rescue patrol ship Voevoda. According to reports, NATO is monitoring the convoy as it heads north. German and Danish naval vessels also tracked the group while it transited the Baltic Sea before entering the North Sea. Drone Campaign Forces New Calculations The reported relocation follows Ukraine's recent strike on the Russian naval base at Kronstadt, near St Petersburg, where Kyiv claimed to have damaged key military assets deep inside Russian territory. Satellite imagery has suggested a noticeably reduced naval presence at the base following the attack, fuelling speculation that Moscow is dispersing high-value vessels away from areas increasingly vulnerable to Ukrainian drones. Luxury Vessel Shrouded in Secrecy US government documents have previously linked Putin to voyages aboard Graceful, including a 2021 trip across the Black Sea with Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko. The yacht features luxury amenities including swimming pools, a helipad, a gym and secure government communications equipment. The vessel was moved from Germany to Russia shortly before Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. It was later sanctioned by the United States and subsequently renamed Kosatka. Baltic No Longer Seen as Safe The yacht had remained largely out of public view for several years before reappearing on maritime tracking systems during its passage through the Danish Straits. Its tracking signal later disappeared, although its escort vessel continued broadcasting its position as the convoy headed towards Murmansk. The reported move underlines how Ukraine's expanding drone campaign is reshaping Russia's security calculations, extending the war's reach far beyond the battlefield and forcing even the Kremlin's most closely guarded assets to seek safer waters. Putin's yacht heads to the Arctic to dodge Ukrainian drone threat
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