The British government seized a Russian-owned, Maltese-flagged superyacht that was in British waters on Tuesday, as part of sanctions against Russia, the UK's National Crime Agency said.

Phi, the €45 million, 58.5-metre yacht is owned by a Russian businessman. Although the unidentified individual has not been sanctioned by the UK, new powers allow the British Transport Secretary to detain ships controlled, chartered or operated by people connected to Russia.

The ship is registered to a company based in St Kitts and Nevis.

The Malta flag is the sixth-largest worldwide and the largest in the EU. Malta's superyacht register is the world's largest. 

The impound of Phi, the first superyacht to be held in British waters, comes after the UK sanctioned hundreds of Russian individuals and entities in recent weeks over the Ukraine invasion.  The Phi was in the UK for a refit.

British Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said the seizure sent a "clear and stark warning" to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"It's just another indication that we will not stand by whilst Putin's cronies are allowed to sail around the world in these kinds of yachts and people in Ukraine are suffering."

Phi is the third-biggest yacht built by Dutch shipbuilder Royal Huisman and includes what the company calls an “infinite wine cellar” and a patented fresh-water swimming pool.

Authorities in France, Italy, Spain, and Gibraltar have also seized Russian yachts as part of the sanctions campaign against Russia.

Britain has impounded at least two oligarch-owned private jets.

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