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Russian Billionaire’s Luxury Explorer Almost Lost in a Divorce, Now Wanted by Authorities

International sanctions against Russian oligarchs have led to authorities in various countries catching big fish such as Dilbar or Axioma. But there are many other large luxury toys belonging to businessmen on those lists, whose fate is yet to be determined. One of them is Luna, one of the largest luxury explorers in the world.
Luna is one of the largest luxury explorers in the world 9 photos
Photo: Yacht Charter Fleet
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Despite being a jaw-dropping explorer superyacht that has always been ahead of its time (it was built in 2010), it seems that Luna can’t catch a break. Until the war in Ukraine broke out, which led to the oligarch-owned superyachts being targeted, Luna was stuck in a marina in Dubai, where its worth was dropping with each passing day. The reason? Its owner’s divorce, a scandal that became known as the biggest financial fight that the London’s divorce courts had ever seen.

Farkhad Akhmedov, an Azerbaijani-Russian billionaire, made his incredible fortune in the oil industry and had reportedly purchased Luna from his friend Roman Abramovich. Built by Lloyd Werft in Germany, this 374-foot (114 meters) explorer is capable of traveling anywhere in the world in pure luxury. It boasts not just one but two helipads, a generous swimming pool, and ten large VIP rooms. The onboard water toys, including two water limousines, are worth millions.

Plus, Luna seems to be packed with security features such as bulletproof windows, which isn’t surprising, considering that Abramovich, who initially owned it, is known to include that in all his luxury toys. But instead of using its great capabilities, Luna was stuck in Dubai for years because of Akhmedov’s bitter divorce.

His ex-wife was awarded more than $460 million by the court, and the Luna explorer, estimated at $353 million, would have equaled a big chunk of that sum. But the magnate seemed determined not to give that up and apparently used all the legal loopholes he could to prevent his former wife from getting Luna.

A year later, Akhmedov is again in danger of losing Luna. As one of the sanctioned oligarchs, his assets are fair game. Luna has reportedly been in Hamburg, Germany, for the past months because it’s undergoing repairs. According to some media sources, it’s possible that the German authorities are ready to seize it as soon as it tries to leave, but there’s no official confirmation, perhaps because it has been a struggle to legally prove ownership in these cases. The billionaire hasn’t lost Luna to his wife, but maybe he will lose it anyway, in the end.
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About the author: Otilia Drăgan
Otilia Drăgan profile photo

Otilia believes that if it’s eco, green, or groundbreaking, people should know about it (especially if it's got wheels or wings). Working in online media for over five years, she's gained a deeper perspective on how people everywhere can inspire each other.
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