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U.S. Authorities to Hunt Down Russian Giant Lukoil’s $45M Boeing Private Jet

The latest target related to the Russian sanctions, announced by the U.S. Department of Justice, is another ultra-luxurious private jet, which according to the authorities, is officially owned by the Russian oil company Lukoil.
The Boeing 737-7EM is part of the successful BBJ aircraft family 11 photos
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The U.S. is now officially going after this Boeing 737-7EM after getting the green light from the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas. The jet is guilty of continuing to fly in and out of Russia, which is in direct violation of the sanctions imposed by the Department of Commerce. As part of these sanctions, U.S.-manufactured aircraft were forbidden to move to or within Russia without a valid license.

According to the state documents, this particular Boeing private jet is currently in Russia and has last flown into the U.S. back in 2019, when it arrived in Houston, Texas. It’s estimated to be worth around $45 million and to belong to Lukoil, even though, just like so many other Russian-owned assets, on paper, it was owned by other, non-significant companies.

Lukoil has faced U.S. sanctions since 2014, but things got much worse after the invasion of Ukraine. In April, Lukoil’s boss, Vagit Alekperov, was also officially sanctioned. The billionaire also happened to be one of the UBOs of the Dutch luxury yacht builder Heesen.

After the sanctions were announced, Alekperov stepped down as Lukoil’s CEO, and later on, Heesen transferred its shares to an independent Dutch foundation.

Alekperov’s private superyachts are both safe from getting seized, with one reportedly back in Russia and the other one still in construction at Heesen.

This Lukoil-owned Boeing 737 BBJ, with the serial number 34865 and the tail number VP-CLR, is part of the BBJ Max family. It’s 116-foot-long (35.6 meters) with a wingspan of 117 feet (35.9 meters), offering a range of 6,604 nautical miles (7,600 miles/12,230 km).

A couple of months ago, a similar announcement was made regarding Roman Abramovich’s infamous $350 million custom Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner. But with all of these luxury aircraft safe in Russia, it’s hard to tell whether the U.S. will be able to snatch them.
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Editor's note: Gallery showing the Boeing BBJ aircraft family

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About the author: Otilia Drăgan
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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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