Luxury yachts crowd around Svalbard; among them is Oleg Tinkov’s La Datcha
The Russian billionaire’s private icebreaker yacht, equipped with two helicopters and a three-seat submersible, is spending this summer in the Arctic waters around the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard.
For more than two weeks, the 77-metre-long yacht has crisscrossed between the islands and fjords of Svalbard. On 23 July, the vessel was located off the western coast of Edgeøya, one of the major islands of the archipelago. Ship traffic data show that the ship was north of 80°N in mid-July.
It is not clear whether Oleg Tinkov himself is among the passengers. The expedition yacht, which has icebreaking capacity, is available for weekly charters.
The Russian tycoon, known as the owner of Tinkoff Bank and a number of other companies, built La Datcha in 2020. It is believed to have cost $100 million.
On board are two helicopters, a three-seat submersible, a VIP tender/rescue boat, a dive support tender, and a beach lander tender. In addition, there are four wave runners, two expedition RIBs, and two snow scooters.
"Guests can safely enjoy the most spectacular Arctic and Antarctic landscapes thanks to Ice Class and IMO Polar Code engineering. Twenty-five crew members are there to assist guests in any way they can," a website devoted to the ship informs.
Tinkov used to be one of the richest men in Russia. However, his fortune has shrunk significantly since the start of Russia’s war against Ukraine. According to Forbes, his net worth dropped by more than $5 billion in less than a month in early 2022. By mid-2022, he had lost his billionaire status.
At the same time, his relationship with the authorities and the Kremlin became increasingly strained. In October 2022, he renounced his Russian citizenship, citing the Russo-Ukrainian War and "Putin’s fascism" as the reason.
La Datcha is far from the only luxury yacht currently sailing in the waters around Svalbard. A large number of high-end ships with wealthy tourists on board are currently in the region.
Among them is the Commandant Charcot, a vessel built for cruise ship operator Ponant. It is classified as an icebreaker and can make independent voyages to the North Pole. In 2025, a Moscow-based travel and adventure company planned an exclusive party for Russian VIPs on board. Among them were billionaires, showbiz celebrities, and TV personalities, several of whom are known for shady connections and dubious corporate interests.
