Putin's yacht seen near Denmark under military escort, media reports
Photo: The superyacht Graceful, which is linked to Russian leader Vladimir Putin (Getty Images)
An unusual Russian convoy has passed near Denmark. It included the yacht Graceful, which international media have linked to Russian leader Vladimir Putin, according to DR.
The convoy's passage was confirmed by observations from the DR Verificer project on specialized vessel tracking services, as well as eyewitness photos taken from the coast.
During the night into Monday, the yacht passed through the Great Belt, sailed past the island of Anholt in the morning, and headed toward Cape Skagen in the afternoon. A Russian destroyer and a patrol ship accompanied it.
Why the voyage drew attention
Graceful's route attracted attention because on August 30, 2022, after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the yacht switched off its Automatic Identification System (AIS).
Since then, the vessel has rarely appeared in international tracking systems. It has only been spotted in St. Petersburg.
Denmark and Germany monitored the convoy
According to DR, the Russian convoy was monitored in turns by the Danish Navy and the German Coast Guard starting on Sunday. While in Danish waters, the vessels were escorted by the patrol ship P521 Freja.
The Danish Defence Command said escorting foreign state vessels through the Danish straits is standard practice.
"The Armed Forces routinely escort vessels, including those of foreign states, passing through the Danish straits and territorial waters, using the appropriate resources," the statement said.
What is known about the yacht
Graceful is more than 80 meters (262 feet) long. According to Forbes, it is worth more than 750 million Danish kroner (about $115 million).
The Russian convoy's final destination remains unknown.
In 2023, the Dossier Center reported that the fleet linked to Vladimir Putin could consist of up to 10 yachts and support vessels.
At the time, investigators said they had identified two additional vessels — the megayacht Victoria and the boat Orion — which had not previously been disclosed in public sources.
