Banned from European ports as part of the sanctions against Russia since April 2022, the three-masted ship is sailing on sight, despite having exchanged its Russian flag for that of the Cook Islands.
The Shtandart has been tossed from port to port across Europe for two and a half years now, a victim of European sanctions that have hit Russia since the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
“What is happening to us is very unfair, the boat’s situation is critical and the crew is suffering,” warns captain and owner Vladimir Martus, contacted by M Le magazine du Monde.
Built by volunteers between 1994 and 1999 to train young Russians in traditional navigation, this 34-metre-long three-masted ship is an exact replica of a frigate of the former Russian Tsar Peter the Great. “The boat was built using English shipbuilding methods, so it also embodies European heritage,” explains captain Vlamidir Martus. The Shtandart can be spotted from afar thanks to its imposing size, its orange hull and the lion wearing a golden crown that serves as its figurehead. Since its launch in 2000, the ship has regularly participated in major gatherings of old sailing ships such as the one in Brest, the Armada in Rouen or Les grandes voiles du Havre.
Read the full article: https://www.lemonde.fr/m-le-mag/article/2024/09/22/la-fregate-russe-shtandart-continue-d-errer-sans-fin_6327805_4500055.html
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