Russian superyacht passes through Strait of Hormuz despite blockade

The superyacht Nord, linked to one of Putinʼs key allies Alexei Mordashov passed through the Strait of Hormuz — despite the ongoing blockade.

Reuters and BBC write about this.

The 142-meter yacht Nord, worth $500 million, left Dubai Marina on April 24, crossed the Strait of Hormuz, and arrived in the Omani capital, Muscat, on April 26.

Since February, Iran has severely restricted traffic through the strait, which normally carries about a fifth of the worldʼs oil, allowing only a handful of ships, mostly merchant vessels, to pass through.

Iran and Russia are long-standing allies, and on April 27, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Russia and met with Putin.

Mordashov, who has close ties to Putin and is Russia’s richest man according to Forbes, is not listed as the official owner of the luxury yacht. But shipping records and Russian corporate records from 2025 show that the vessel was registered to a Russian company owned by his wife in 2022.

That company is registered in the Russian city of Cherepovets, where Mordashov’s steel plant “Pivnichstal” is also registered. Mordashov was among a number of Russians who were sanctioned by the United States and the European Union after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine because of their ties to Putin.

The Strait of Hormuz and the US naval blockade of Iranian ports

Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz after US and Israeli attacks on the country in late February. Markets reacted immediately, with oil, gas and precious metals rising in price.

On April 11, American warships entered the Strait of Hormuz for the first time since the start of the war: the destroyers Frank E. Peterson and Michael Murphy. The American military said that their task was to clear the water area of Iranian mines and create a new route for ships.

However, on April 12, President Donald Trump reported that the United States had blocked the Strait of Hormuz. According to him, no ship would be able to pass through it until the United States and Iran reach an agreement on complete freedom of passage for all. And on April 13, the United States began a naval blockade of Iranian ports.

On April 17, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi reported that the Strait of Hormuz had been opened amid a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon. On April 18, Iran reported that it was again blocking the Strait of Hormuz due to the US naval blockade. On the same day, Iran fired on several ships trying to pass through the strait. At the same time, the WSJ reported that the US was planning to search and seize Iranian-linked vessels worldwide as part of its expanded naval operations.

Therefore, on April 20, the US intercepted the Iranian-flagged cargo ship Touska in the Gulf of Oman. On April 21, the US military intercepted the M/T Tifani in the Indian Ocean, and on April 23, the oil tanker M/T Majestic X.

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