Italy Seizes Yachts and Villas From Russian Oligarchs

MAR 5 2022·Updated MAR 8 2022

Story

Image credit: Newsweek

The Facts

Italian police reportedly seized superyachts and luxury villas from sanctioned Russian oligarchs to a value of around $156M over the weekend.
Newsweek
In the raid, Italian authorities went after properties of Russian citizens with close ties to Putin.
New York Post
Last week, a $120M superyacht was also seized in France, and President Biden said in his SOTU address that the US will soon seize Russian oligarchs' yachts, luxury apartments, and private jets.
Business Insider
Russian billionaires have reportedly been moving their yachts to safe-havens like the Maldives, which has no extradition agreement with the US, to try to avoid the sanctions.
Business Insider

Sources Split

LEFT

CENTER

RIGHT

ESTAB
CRIT

CENTER

PRO
ESTAB

The Spin

Narrative A

The only way to make Putin halt the invasion of Ukraine is to squeeze members of his inner circle. Harsh sanctions will at very least force him to the table.

Business Insider

Narrative B

Economic sanctions might make life difficult, but they'll never work to thwart the invasion. The only thing that will work is more military assistance to the Ukrainian army.

American Thinker

Establishment-critical narrative

It's hypocritical to impose sanctions on Russia for invading Ukraine, but not on the US for invading Iraq for equally unjustified reasons, or on Israel for invading and annexing Arab lands.

Al Jazeera