Putin-linked superyacht Graceful spotted on radar for first time in four years
Graceful in port at Sochi. Image courtesy of Alexxx1979 / Wikicommons A superyacht widely reported to be the personal vessel of Russian leader Vladimir Putin has reappeared on radar for the first time in four years.
Danish public broadcaster DR reports that Graceful has reappeared on AIS in the Baltic Sea under naval escort as it moved through Danish waters towards the North Sea.
Data from Marinetraffic.com shows the vessel sailed along the northern coast of Denmark on Monday (29 June 2026), passing through waterways including the Fehmarn Belt, the Great Belt Strait and areas near Anholt and Skagen. Its route has been supported by coastal sightings.
At different points, the yacht was accompanied by Russian naval units, including a destroyer and support vessels, while Danish and German maritime authorities monitored its passage.
The Danish armed forces confirmed they observe traffic through national straits as part of routine operations. In a statement, the forces say: ‘The armed forces routinely monitor vessels, including foreign state vessels, transiting Danish straits and territorial waters, using the capacities designated for this purpose.’
After leaving the Danish straits, the vessel continued into the Skagerrak before dropping out of public tracking again once its AIS signal was turned off.
Who owns the superyacht Graceful?
The vessel has frequently been linked in reporting to Vladimir Putin, although no ownership has been formally confirmed in public registries. It sails under a Russian flag and is tied to complex corporate arrangements involving Russian maritime interests and state-linked operators.
The yacht was delivered in 2014 by Blohm & Voss, with design work attributed to H2 Yacht Design and naval architecture from AGAT Design Bureau. Construction began in Russia before the hull was moved to Germany for completion and modification.
An investigation by the team of late Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny claimed the Kremlin regime had spent at least 3b roubles (US$32m) in 2022 refitting Graceful until shortly before the invasion of Ukraine, when it was suddenly moved to the Russian city of Kaliningrad, despite works being far from complete.
Onboard, the layout includes accommodation for a small number of guests across multiple staterooms, along with crew quarters. Reported features include a large indoor pool that can convert into a flat surface, a helicopter landing area and a two-level master suite.
The yacht has also been referred to in some reporting as Kosatka, meaning “killer whale” in Russian, although that name has not been consistently verified in official registries.
Attention this week has also turned to two other vessels often associated with Putin. The yacht Victoria has been tracked moving from the Black Sea towards Turkish waters, while another large vessel, Scheherazade, remains under restriction in Italy after seizure action by authorities in the early stages of the conflict.
After its transit through Danish waters, Graceful‘s course has pointed towards the eastern Mediterranean, with tracking data suggesting Istanbul as its current destination.
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