Inside Russian billionaires’ seized superyachts: the Axioma is worth US$75 million, with another half-million worth of luxuries on board when it went up for auction, from fine whisky to silverware …

Aug 26 , 2022

Inside the Axioma, Russian oligarch Dmitrievich Pumpyansky’s once beloved superyacht, now up for auction to the highest bidder. Photo: YachtCharterFleet

Russian steel magnate Dmitrievich Pumpyansky’s luxury yacht was impounded in March and just went up for auction – but only J.P. Morgan will benefit to the tune of US$20 million

US$153,000 of wine and luxury spirits alone are thought to be on board, while oligarch Suleiman Kerimov’s Amadea yacht had a bejewelled Fabergé egg lying around …

Just like Russian Matryoshka nesting dolls that keep surprising you with their contents, Russian superyachts are also proving to be veritable treasure troves thanks to their seemingly endless stash of on-board luxuries. Steel billionaire Dmitrievich Pumpyansky’s confiscated US$75 million Axioma yacht is the perfect example.

If the Axioma fetches more than US$20 million at auction, additional assets and money will most likely just be frozen. Photo: YachtCharterFleet

The superyacht was impounded in Gibraltar by authorities back in March, when US bank J.P. Morgan said Pumpyansky had reneged on the terms of a US$20 million loan. It then went up for auction this week, on August 23, in a bid to return the money owed to the bank.

But while the almost-decade-old yacht (it was delivered in 2013) went under the hammer, its fabulous contents did not. The 72-metre (236-foot) vessel has been auctioned by the Admiralty Court in Gibraltar and bids have now closed. The results are likely to be announced in two weeks’ time.

The Axioma’s main deck – it is reported to have had five decks in total. Photo: Luxurylaunches

According to the superyacht’s owner, Pyrene Investments, the precious items belonged to the company and were not up for sale. However, the auctioning of the yacht has lifted the veil on the OTT luxury lifestyles of Russian oligarchs, with perks that go far beyond its infinity pools and cinemas.

According to the Gibraltar Chronicle, the luxury vessel boasts water sports equipment such as jet skis and diving kits, estimated to be worth around US$250,000.

Dmitrievich Pumpyansky would have enjoyed his expensive whiskies whilst gazing out across the ocean on the Axioma superyacht. Photo: Luxurylaunches

The bar is also well-stocked, with spirits and wines alone totalling US$153,000 – many of them premium vintage whiskies.

The alfresco table on board the Axioma shows just how much luxurious silverware was on board when it was impounded. Photo: Luxurylaunches