A luxury yacht of Putin’s, exposed by Alexei Navalny’s team six months before he was poisoned to death in an Arctic prison, is being evacuated.

The apparent decision to move the yacht north [to the Northern Fleet’s main naval base at Severomorsk in the Kola Bay] is believed to be driven by concerns that Ukrainian drones could target the vessel while it is berthed either in Kaliningrad or near St Petersburg. Ukrainian drones have in recent weeks struck the strategically important Russian naval base at Kronstadt and several oil terminals in the area.

As it sailed along the Norwegian coast, Kosatka (or Graceful) was escorted by the Northern Fleet’s anti-submarine destroyer Severomorsk and the newly commissioned special patrol vessel Voevoda, whose name translates as “warlord”.

Graceful is the second Putin-linked yacht to leave European waters, given the Victoria departed the Black Sea for Bodrum on June 30. The Graceful transited Danish straits with anti-drone netting covering its decks, revealing the fear Putin’s “luxury” floats on now while his country burns around him.