The goal of seizing super yachts is to disrupt the Russian elite. The US government has a duty to maintain the yacht so that it doesn't lose value. These are vessels that sit in salt water and humidity, they degrade very quickly without maintenance. They need staff on board for insurance reasons and to make sure that the yacht is safe in port.
Bloomberg's Stephanie Baker and the New Yorker’s Evan Osnos explain the fight to seize (and maintain) billionaire boats.
This episode was produced by Miles Bryan, edited by Matt Collette, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Paul Robert Mounsey, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram.
Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained
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