A Russian billionaire's superyacht, Nord, sailed through the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, becoming one of the few vessels to transit through the key waterway. The superyacht, worth over $500 million, features 20 staterooms, a swimming pool, a helipad, and a submarine.
Nord is linked to sanctioned Russian billionaire Alexey Mordashov, a steel magnate, and is reportedly not officially listed as the owner. However, shipping data shows the vessel was registered to a Russian firm owned by his wife in 2022.
The US and Iran maintain a delicate ceasefire, with only a few merchant vessels passing daily through the Strait of Hormuz. Russia and Iran are longstanding allies, and Mordashov was among Russians sanctioned by the US and EU after Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
