renegade yachts

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RENNEGADE is a 38.1 m Motor Yacht, built in the United States of America by Westport and delivered in 2018. She is one of 9 125 models.

Her top speed is 25.0 kn, her cruising speed is 22.0 kn, and she boasts a maximum cruising range of 2500.0 nm at 12.0 kn, with power coming from two MTU diesel engines. She can accommodate up to 10 guests in 5 staterooms, with 5 crew members waiting on their every need. She has a gross tonnage of 329.0 GT and a 7.98 m beam.

She was designed by Westport , who also completed the naval architecture and designed the interior. Westport has designed 89 yachts, created the naval architecture for 63 yachts, and designed the interior of 112 yachts for yachts above 24 metres.

RENNEGADE is in the top 30% by LOA in the world. She is one of 1147 motor yachts in the 35-40m size range, and, compared to similarly sized motor yachts, her cruising speed is 3.69 kn above the average, her top speed 3.14 kn above the average, and her volume 61.74 GT above the average.

RENNEGADE is currently sailing under the United States of America flag, the most popular flag state for superyachts with a total of 1625 yachts registered. She is currently located at the superyacht marina Sunrise Harbor Marina, in United States of America, where she has been located for 2 weeks. For more information regarding RENNEGADE's movements, find out more about BOAT Pro AIS .

Specifications

• Name: RENNEGADE
• Yacht Type: Motor Yacht
• Yacht Subtype: Semi-displacement
• Builder: Westport
• Naval Architect: Westport
• Exterior Designer: Westport
• Interior Designer: Westport

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Renegade Powerboats has established a highly successful business model developing a high performance patrol boat for commercial use. We built a superior quality and durable 38′ Patrol boat especially designed for combat, special operations, homeland security, law enforcement and work boat environments. Whatever you mission is, our 38′ Patrol is the perfect fit.

SPECIFICATIONS

Length  38′ Beam  9.6′ Weight  12,800 lbs Draft  24″ Deadrise  24 Degree V Bottom Fuel Capacity  370 gallons Water Capacity  40 gallons Power  Triple 300-450 hp Cruising  50-55 mph Stephull  Yes

Standard Features

Triple 350 hp Mercury Verados Fiberglass Hardtop Solid Paint Color with Logo Uflex Steering Wheel Mercury DTS Control Bennett Trim Tabs with Indicators Single Garmin 8612 Garmin GPS Mercury Gauges Bolster with Fiberglass Seat LED Courtesy Lights LED Search Lights Rub Rail Built-In Side Door Stainless Steel Cup Holders Built-In Coolers Outlets; USB, AUX and 12 Volt Magnetic Compass Windshield Non-Skid Deck VHF Radio Floor Hatches Anchor Locker Grab Handles Garmin Transducer Batteries Cleats * Three (3) Year Structural Warranty

Optional Features

Triple 350-450 hp Engines Custom Paint A/C System Shock Mitigating Patrol Seats Pilot House Option Loudspeaker Siren System Rifle Holders Engine Guard Sound System Twin Garmin 8616 GPS Screens Mercury Throttles Livorsi Throttles Mercury K Planes Trim Tabs Livorsi Marine Trim Tabs Custom Sports Package Upholstery Underwater Lights Stainless Steel Rub Rail Pull Out Ladder Lewmar Windlass System, Anchor and Chain Stainless Steel Anchor Guard FLIR Nightvision Camera Outriggers 3 Bank Battery Charger Garmin Radar Joystick Piloting Protective Side Bumpers Police Lights Air Transceiver Radio Bow Thruster Motorola 2-Way radio Custom Modifications Double Row Seating

1111 E. 52nd St. Hialeah, FL 33013

Sales (305) 687-3700 [email protected]

Our Office Hours

Mo-Fr: 8:00am -5:00pm Sa: Out Boating Su: Out Boating

WELCOME TO OCEAN RENEGADE

Where unparalleled performance meets the boundless spirit of the sea — experience the pinnacle of luxury sailing with our state-of-the-art Performance Catamarans.

Ocean Renegade, where innovation and inspiration converge. Situated in stunning Cape Town, we've been crafting catamarans since 2014. Our vision is all about blending luxury, performance, and environmental responsibility seamlessly. Our heritage runs deep, drawing from years of maritime experience to ensure every aspect of our yachts reflects durability and comfort. Our creations are the result of innovative engineering and a relentless pursuit of perfection. Sustainability is paramount to us, reflected in our solar-powered facility and electric-driven hybrid catamarans. Join us on a journey where we tailor our expertise to your unique desires, creating extraordinary yachts that redefine exploration. With Ocean Renegade, excellence, innovation, and environmental consciousness are at the forefront. Welcome aboard!

EXPERIENCE EXCELLENCE

INTRODUCING THE OCEAN RENEGADE R-RANGE

The R-series is a culmination of decades of planning and design in order to create a range of a yacht that embodies our philosophies and values to create the ultimate cruising catamaran.

Constructed using the best technologies, materials and practices, results in a harmonious balance of performance, luxury, and safety, that is paramount to the characteristics in this series.

His series is designed for the true adventures among us who seek the exhilaration of sailing a yacht that keeps you entertained whilst vigorously devouring sea miles, in comfort and in ease.

OCEAN RENEGADE R6  

OCEAN RENEGADE R5 MKII

Featured on.

Address: Van Riebeeck Rd, Blackheath, Cape Town, 7580

Email:  [email protected]

Tel: 123-456-7890

Renegade Iceboats

Rooted in dn & skeeter design.

Elmer Millenbach’s timeless design introduced much of what modern ice yachting is today.

Organized in 1947

About the renegade iceboat.

Steve Schalk, Secretary/Treasurer of Northwest and ISA, has dedicated countless hours to preserving 75 years of essential iceboating history from the International Skeeter Association newsletter, News and Views. In the past few days, I’ve uploaded the PDFs to iceboat.org, making the complete archive easily accessible on the website. It’s a privilege to share this invaluable resource with everyone. Visit the ISA News & Views archives here.

Welcome to the News and Views Archive. This collection has been digitized in searchable pdf format directly from the official document collections of the International Skeeter Association and the Northwestern Ice Yachting Association.   In the 1950’s and earlier, the two Associations published documents such as meeting minutes and race results separately. Beginning in the 1960’s, the publication “ISA News and Views” was used to gather and publish news, meeting information, race results, member lists, local club news, and a for sale section.   The collection is organized by Iceboat racing season, which stretches from fall of one year through spring of the following year. The order of seasons starts with the most recent and goes back to 1948-49 season.   The content gives an insight into developments in iceboating over the last 75 years, with the voices and images of many of the most prominent competitors, designers and builders appearing in these pages.   I hope you enjoy your journey back in time using these archives. LINK TO ARCHIVES   Steve Schalk Secretary/Treasurer Northwestern Ice Yachting Association INTERNATIONAL SKEETER ASSOCIATION

Reflections & Resolutions – 4LIYC Meeting Recap

by Deb Whitehorse | Mar 7, 2024

Despite the shortness of this sailing season, we are always optimistic and are already laying the groundwork for an exceptional season ahead. The club is gearing up to host the Southern Wisconsin Iceboat Swap Meet next fall and brainstorming ways to make it an unmissable event. Video link to Ice Sailors Irish Blessing.

Eight Bells: Tim McCormick

by Deb Whitehorse | Mar 6, 2024

Peter, Tim, and Greg McCormick on Lake Kegonsa, March 2023

OBITUARY INFORMATION Visitation & Funeral 11 AM Friday, March 15, 2024 Monona Terrace and Convention Center 1 John Nolen Dr. Madison, WI 53703 The Four Lakes Ice Yacht Club mourns the loss of our esteemed member, Tim McCormick, who passed away early this morning after a prolonged illness.

We extend our deepest condolences to Tim’s family and friends during this difficult time. More information will be shared as it becomes available.

UPDATE: The ice sailing community is posting tributes and condolences to Tim on the 4LIYC Facebook page. Jane Pegel emailed this last night: “The iceboating community will have a difficult time finding someone to replace Tim McCormick. He was outstanding both on the race course and the time-he devoted to the National Iceboat Authority . With respect, Jane Pegel”

Regatta Watch: ISA & WSSA Postponed Until Dec 2024

by Deb Whitehorse | Mar 3, 2024

Photo: Shane Lewis – Silverfoxviz – See all Northwest photos here

I NTERNATIONAL SKEETER ASSOCIATION REGATTA The ISA Race Committee has postponed the 2024 Regatta to December 2024. We will be looking for perfect early season ice like we had at Battle Lake Minnesota in 2018. Steve Schalk Secretary/Treasurer International Skeeter Association

WISCONSIN STERN STEERERS ASSOCIATION

The Wisconsin Stern Steering Association regatta has been postponed to December, 2024. Unfortunately this was a short season chasing thin ice. Being optimists, iceboaters always look forward to next season. Andy Gratton WSSA Secretary/Treasurer

Regatta Watch: 2024 ISA Postponed to March 8 – 10

by Deb Whitehorse | Feb 25, 2024

NIYA B Skeeter First Place – Jim McDonagh – Photo: Kevin Barta

The 2024 International Skeeter Association Regatta is postponed until March 8 – 10. Hoping for a cool down after next weekend’s forecasted warm temperatures. Next update, Sunday, March 3, 2024.

2024 Northwest: Day 2 – AM Update

by Deb Whitehorse | Feb 24, 2024

Renegaders Doug Kolner and Mike Derusha at the one and two blocks.

PROVISIONAL RESULTS EVENT PAGE Update –  Post updated to include the real location. The webmaster regrets the error and blames it on not enough coffee. The 2024 Northwest Regatta kicked off on Lake WACONIA in Minnesota on Friday, February 23, the first one held in five years.

The winds remained relatively steady throughout most of the day, ranging from 8 to 12 mph. The Race Committee had to reset the course twice. However, as the day progressed, the winds began to fade. The last Stern Steerer, B Skeeter, and DN races were black-flagged because of the time limit.

The bumpy ice conditions tested each sailor’s skills. After each race, sailors had to check all fittings to ensure they remained secure, noted DNer John Harper (US60) from Michigan.

TIME CHANGE FOR FIRST RACE Saturday, February 24, 2024 Schedule Update 9 AM: First Race. Stern Steerers Race #2 Followed by B & C Skeeter Race #2 Normal rotation then resumes: DN Renegade E Skeeter A,B,C,D Stern Steerer ISA B & C Skeeter

Michigan Renegader Peter Sarelis turns the hotel hallway into a sail loft.

Regatta Watch: NIYA Called ON for Waconia, MN Feb 23-25

by Deb Whitehorse | Feb 20, 2024

DN Class: Spouses Julie Richards & Dick Wollam draw 1 & 2 for the start at the 2010 Northwest

The Northwestern Ice Yachting Association has called the 2024 championship regatta for February 23-25th at Lake Waconia Minnesota. This is the final call, launch site is Lake Waconia regional park on Paradise lane. Hotel information will be available tomorrow February 21st. The ISA Championship is postponed to March 1st-3rd 2024. Steve Schalk Secretary/treasurer NIYA & ISA

Feb 18, 2024 Regatta Watch: NIYA, ISA & Renegade Championship Called ON for Feb 23-25

by Deb Whitehorse | Feb 18, 2024

NORTHWEST The Northwestern Ice Yachting Association Race Committee has called the 2024 regatta on for a yet to be determined Minnesota location north and west of St. Cloud. The dates are February 23rd-25th. The lakes are still to be final checked for surface and launch conditions. There are potential lakes in the Alexandria area, where lodging may be an issue, and lakes further north. The final call will be made as soon as possible, but Wednesday February 21st by noon at the latest. ISA The International Skeeter Association Race Committee has made the same call on for February 23rd-25th. In the event the Northwest is held the ISA will defer and postpone. Steve Schalk Secretary/Treasurer NIYA & ISA

A Big Thanks to NIYA & ISA Ice Checkers

by Deb Whitehorse | Feb 15, 2024

The Race Committees for the Northwest and ISA regattas, would like to acknowledge all the efforts of our ice checkers who have been scouting and sailing potential regatta sites. Pat Heppert and Chris Wiberg spent an entire weekend driving the width of Minnesota setting up their boats and test sailing multiple lakes. Terry Reynolds and Mike Peters sailed Little Bay De Noc, and Jim McDonagh drove up to Lake Osakis on Wednesday at dawn sailed his DN all over the lake, then drove back in a whiteout. We all owe them a big thank you for the huge efforts made to find a place for us to have an event. Many thanks to you guys. Steve Schalk Secretary/Treasurer NIYA & ISA

Feb 14, 2024 Regatta Watch: Postponement for ISA & NIYA

by Deb Whitehorse | Feb 14, 2024

NORTHWEST The Northwestern Ice Yachting Association Race Committee has postponed the 2024 Regatta to February 23rd, 24th, and 25th. A combination of incoming snow, snowy travel, 5.5 rated surface with high winds forecast led to the postponement. ISA The International Skeeter Association Race Committee has postponed one week to February 23rd-25th. If the Northwest is held that weekend the ISA will defer. Steve Schalk Secretary/Treasurer NIYA & ISA

Regatta Archives

• 2022 Lake Monona, Madison, WI
• 2021 Green Lake, WI
• 2020 Lake Puckaway, Princeton, WI
• 2019 Lake Pepin, Lake City, Minnesota
• 2018 Lake Puckaway, Montello, Wisconsin
• 2017 Battle Lake, Minnesota
• 2016 Green Bay, WI
• 2015 Gladstone, Michigan
• 2014 Lake Puckaway
• 2013 Lake Kegonsa
• 2012 No Regatta
• 2011 Lake Mendota
• 2010 No Regatta
• 2009 Green Lake
• 2008 Geneva Lake
• 2007 Toledo, Ohio
• 2005 Geneva Lake

Renegade Website Archives

• Old Renegade Site

Renegades for Sale

January 29, 2024: renegade w c-rig in wi.

Jan 29, 2024

January 3, 2024: Renegades & C-Rigs in Madison, WI

Jan 3, 2024

Renegades for sale. Very competitive $4500 each

C-Rig with mast, boom, and sail $1500

Iceboat trailer $500

Madison, WI area Don Anderson [email protected]

December 11, 2023: Renegade in WI

Dec 11, 2023

December 5, 2023: DN & Renegade Equipment in WI/RI

Dec 5, 2023

DN and Renegade equipment for sale:

•S-713 North American equipment for sale •C2 Hull and cover •C2 prepreg mast •C2 aero plank and cover •C2 Runners and Guncase •Ullman/Boston F01 and ABSS Sails

•1D PGP36 and F Speed avalible with glass or carbon battens New and used excellent condition

•North/Boston F01 with battens brand new, never used, no insignia or #’s- $1000

•North Max Power with battens excellent condition- $1000

•C2 Plank with Struble chocks- $900

•CSI/Kent Plank with Jablonski chocks-$1200

• MBC Light LV3 All Carbon mast lightly used $2900

• MBC Stiff HV5 All Carbon Brand New $3500

• MBC FEMALE HYBRID Tube only $900

• MBC HYBRID MV4 $2800

•Renegade Sails with Battens • Henry North tack seam $950 • Boston “Magic” $800

•Renegade padded runner bags (3) $200

Located in Madison, WI and RI Contact: Chad Atkins DN US 4487 R-500 [email protected]

November 29, 2023: Renegades in WI

Nov 29, 2023

November 27, 2023: Renegade in MI

Nov 27, 2023

October 19, 2023: Renegade in MI

Oct 19, 2023

July 21, 2023: Renegade Runners & Parts in OH

Jul 21, 2023

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RENEGADE BOATS

Introducing Legendcraft’s all new Renegade series. The Renegade is the perfect blend of Legendcraft’s original design and Ambush versatility, at a great price. All Aluminum welded rugged construction, roomy interior, extra storage and a long list of customized features to choose from, makes this the perfect Jon boat. 

The Renegade is a cross rib boat built to take whatever you can dish out and keep on going. Our Legendcraft ribs are 7” wide and welded in the hull on 12” centers, slightly overbuilt.

Using Legendcraft’s proven V bottom design, a pointed front, and options galore. The Renegade will have a flat floor for the folks that want a level walking surface and/or pedestal bases installed on the floor.

Renegade is built for folks that want a Jon boat style built Ambush tough. Renegade comes at a time when folks are wanting a well built, versatile, boat with tons of options. 

Buy the basic boat and add whatever you like. The Renegade will be available in .100 or the Renegade SS in .080 at very affordable prices.

What sets the Renegade above and apart from other Jon boats on the market today? Legendcraft’s industry renowned meticulous attention to detail, fit and finish, and the toughness of our boats.

Ch oose between the Renegade Standard and the Renegade Stealth Series.

Renegade Models

The ultimate all-welded aluminum Jon boat that provides excellent handling and reliability. Includes lots of additional options that are designed for the serious hunter or fisherman in mind. Easily make a few changes and now you’re ready for some fun on the water.

Renegade (Standard Options)

• All-Welded Aluminium
• Tall or Low Transom
• Rear Pod Seating
• 48" Sealed Deck
• USCG Approved Nav Lights
• Floor and Walls
• Diamond Plate Floor
• Base Paint Coat

Renegade SS Models

Renegade Stealth Series Jon Boat is built tough but with .80  Aluminum hull. The Stealth series is 20% lighter than the standard Renegade with the .100 aluminum hull but gives you the same handling. The Renegade SS has an overall lighter weight with still plenty of options to choose from.

Renegade Stealth Series (Standard Options)

Built with the same quality and ruggedness you find in the Ambush and all Ledgendcraft Boats

Best all around Jon Boat at an affordable price.

Custom built the way you want to match your style of hunting, fishing or play.

Note: We are updating the images (showing Ambush currently) but these are the options Available on all Renegade Boats

Featuring a High Deck

Note; Renegade models are only available in High Deck.

New Front Deck Extension 

You can now extend the front deck by 12″. 

The light bar features a 12” spot flood light on the front and a flood light on each side to easily illuminate your way.

Front Storage Lid (24 x 24)

Available on  High Deck Boats.

Front Storage Lid Open (24 x 24)

Available on High Deck Boats.

Rear Bench w/ Bulk Head & Lid

Easy access storage.

Boarding Steps

A pair of these built in steps make access easier.

Seat base, only surface mount available.

Your choice of single, or 5″ deep gun tray.

Rod Boxes are only available on 16′ and longer boats.

Rod Boxes are available with 3 or 4 tubes.

Rod Sleeves

Installed Rod Sleeves.

Only available on 16’ and longer boats.

Livewell with Aeration 

Our built in livewell keeps your bait and fish alive with constant aeration. (Gravity or Electric pump option)

Fuel Line Option

Run the fuel line from the front storage to the back.

Bilge Pump Kit

Complete kit w/ mounted switches.

Trolling Motor Bracket & Wires

Easily mount trolling motor to front of boat.

Non-Skid Paltech 6000 Liner

Very durable Non-Skid surface that is painted to match the boat.

Additional PEX Pipe

In addition to the standard PVC pipe that runs factory wiring, we will run an additional 1″ PEX pipe under the floor from bilge to front storage for your wiring.

Color Options

All Legendcraft boats come with a base coat of paint. You can add additional designs such as camo. We can also provide camo on the motor if purchased at the time of build.

NOTE: Renegade boats with floor and wall option available in any color. Boats without floor and wall are restricted to solid paint color.

Octa Timber Camo

Timber HD Camo

NAT Gear Camo

Cobblestone

Ambush Khaki

Major Brown

 Motor Camo

Legendcraft Gallery

View all Legendcraft Boats and compare the models and sizes.

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NOT FOR CHARTER *

This Yacht is not for Charter*

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RENNEGADE yacht NOT for charter*

38.1m  /  125' | westport yachts | 2018.

Owner & Guests

• Previous Yacht

Special Features:

• Impressive 2,500nm range
• Interior design from Westport Yachts
• Cruising speed of 22 knots
• Sleeps 10 overnight

The 38.1m/125' motor yacht 'Rennegade' was built by Westport Yachts in the United States at their Westport, WA shipyard. Her interior is styled by American designer design house Westport Yachts and she was delivered to her owner in October 2018. This luxury vessel's exterior design is the work of Westport Yachts.

Guest Accommodation

Rennegade has been designed to comfortably accommodate up to 10 guests in 5 suites. She is also capable of carrying up to 5 crew onboard to ensure a relaxed luxury yacht experience.

Range & Performance

Built with a GRP hull and GRP superstructure, with grp & teak decks, she benefits from a semi-displacement hull to provide exceptional seakeeping and impressive speeds. Powered by twin diesel MTU (16V 2000 M96L) 2,600hp engines, she comfortably cruises at 22 knots, reaches a maximum speed of 25 knots with a range of up to 2,500 nautical miles.

*Charter Rennegade Motor Yacht

Motor yacht Rennegade is currently not believed to be available for private Charter. To view similar yachts for charter , or contact your Yacht Charter Broker for information about renting a luxury charter yacht.

Rennegade Yacht Owner, Captain or marketing company

'Yacht Charter Fleet' is a free information service, if your yacht is available for charter please contact us with details and photos and we will update our records.

Rennegade Photos

NOTE to U.S. Customs & Border Protection

Specification

M/Y Rennegade

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Luxury yachts and other myths: How Republican lawmakers echo Russian propaganda

Two senior Republican lawmakers, the chairs of the House Intelligence and Foreign Affairs committees, say their colleagues are echoing Russian state propaganda against Ukraine.

Researchers who study disinformation say Reps. Mike Turner, R-Ohio, and Michael McCaul, R-Texas, are merely acknowledging what has been clear for some time: Russian propaganda aimed at undermining U.S. and European support for Ukraine has steadily seeped into America’s political conversation over the past decade, taking on a life of its own.

McCaul, chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, told Puck News he thinks “Russian propaganda has made its way into the United States, unfortunately, and it’s infected a good chunk of my party’s base.”

Turner, chair of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, told CNN that anti-Ukraine messages from Russia are “being uttered on the House floor.”

For the past decade, since Russia’s first military incursion into Ukraine in 2014, Moscow has spread propaganda and disinformation in a bid to undercut U.S. and European military support for Ukraine, according to U.S. and Western officials.

Some of the arguments, distortions and falsehoods spread by Russia have taken root, mostly among right-wing pro-Trump outlets and Republican politicians, researchers say, including that Ukraine’s government is too corrupt to benefit from Western aid and that the Biden family has alleged corrupt ties to Ukraine.

Russia, in keeping with traditional propaganda techniques, seeks to make its case and tarnish Ukraine through a mixture of outright falsehoods, half-truths, inferences or simply amplifying and promoting arguments already being made by American or European commentators and politicians, researchers say.

The propaganda is sometimes spread covertly, through fake online accounts, or openly by Russian officials and state media. As a result, the origin of some allegations or criticisms is often opaque, especially when a certain accusation or perception has gained wide acceptance, leaving no clear fingerprints.

Early in the war, a false story boosted by Russian propaganda — that the U.S. had helped Ukraine build biological weapons labs — gained traction on right-wing social media and was touted by then-Fox News host Tucker Carlson.

Russia also is conducting a parallel propaganda campaign in Europe. Belgium’s prime minister said Thursday that his government is investigating alleged Russian bribes to members of the European Parliament as part of Moscow’s campaign to undermine support for Ukraine. Czech law enforcement officials last month alleged that a former pro-Russian member of Ukraine’s parliament, Viktor Medvedchuk, was behind a Prague-based Russian propaganda network designed to promote opposition to aiding Ukraine.

Here are some examples of Republican lawmakers using arguments often promoted by Russian propaganda:

Buying yachts

When Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with members of Congress behind closed doors in December to appeal for more U.S. help for his country’s troops, some lawmakers raised questions about Ukraine allegedly buying yachts with American aid money.

Zelenskyy made clear that was not the case, according to Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, a strong supporter of arming Ukraine. “I think the notion of corruption came up because some have said we can’t do it, because people will buy yachts with the money,” Tillis told CNN. “[Zelenskyy] disabused people of those notions.”

Where did the yacht rumor come from?

Pro-Russian actors and websites promoted a narrative alleging Zelenskyy bought two superyachts with U.S. aid dollars. One Russia-based propaganda site, DC Weekly , published a story last November that included photos of two luxury yachts, called Lucky Me and My Legacy , which it alleged were bought for $75 million.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., a vocal opponent of military aid to Ukraine, in November retweeted a post about the alleged yacht purchase from the Strategic Culture Foundation, a Russian-based propaganda outlet directed by Russia’s intelligence services, according to the Treasury Department. The U.S. has imposed sanctions on the organization, accusing it of spreading disinformation and interfering in U.S. elections.

Another outspoken critic of aid to Ukraine, Republican Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio, also made a similar claim.

In a December interview with former President Donald Trump’s White House adviser Steve Bannon, Vance claimed that members of Congress wanted to cut Social Security benefits to provide more aid to Ukraine, and that money would allegedly be used for Zelenskyy’s ministers to “buy a bigger yacht.”

“There are people who would cut Social Security, throw our grandparents into poverty. Why? So that one of Zelenskyy’s ministers can buy a bigger yacht?” Vance said. “Kiss my ass, Steve. It’s not happening.”

The tale of Zelenskyy’s luxury yacht, however, turned out to be totally false . The yachts cited in the DC Weekly article remain up for sale , the owners told The Associated Press.

Two academics at Clemson University, disinformation researchers Darren Linvill and Patrick Warren, found that DC Weekly ran numerous stories copied from other sites that were rewritten by artificial intelligence engines. The articles had bylines with fake names along with headshots copied from other online sites. DC Weekly appeared to be a Russian effort to launder false information through a seemingly legitimate news site as part of an attempt to undermine U.S. support for Ukraine, according to the researchers .

Asked by reporters about Vance’s comments, Tillis said: “I think it’s bullshit. ...If you’re talking about giving money to Ukrainian ministers — total and unmitigated bullshit.”

Greene’s office did not respond to a request for comment.

Vance’s spokesperson said the senator was making a rhetorical point about how he opposed sending U.S. assistance to what he sees as a corrupt country, but was not asserting the yacht stories online were accurate.

Vance’s office referred NBC News to an earlier response to the BBC on the same topic:

“For years, everyone in the West recognized that Ukraine was one of the most corrupt countries in the world. Somehow everyone forgot that just as we started sending them billions of dollars in foreign aid.”

Enabling ‘corruption’

Russian state media for years has painted Ukraine as deeply corrupt, and has argued that the U.S. and its allies are wasting money and military hardware by assisting such an allegedly corrupt government.

“This is absolutely a line that they have pushed, and then once it appears in the Western ecosystem, other [Russian] media picks it up and it gets recycled back,” said Bret Schafer, a senior fellow at the Alliance for Securing Democracy.

This line of argument has gained traction partly because Ukraine does face a genuine corruption problem.

Russia’s effort to focus attention on corruption in Ukraine reflects a long-established propaganda method of using facts or partial truths to anchor a broader assertion or accusation, sometimes making a leap in logic, Schafer and other researchers said. Russia’s message amounts to: Ukraine is corrupt, therefore U.S. and Western aid will be stolen and wasted.

Schafer said it was ironic for Russia, a country mired in corruption and kleptocracy, to be leveling accusations about corruption.

Republican Rep. Mary Miller has said she strongly opposes more assistance for Ukraine because it amounts to sending cash to “corrupt oligarchs.”

“With Zelensky coming to DC this week to ask for more money, I will continue to vote AGAINST sending your tax $$ to corrupt oligarchs in Ukraine for a proxy war that could have ended in ‘22,” Miller wrote in a post on X in December.

The Illinois lawmaker also echoed another assertion that often appears in Russian media, that the Biden administration allegedly undermined efforts by Russia to avoid war with Ukraine.

 “A peace deal was on the table that [Ukraine] and [Russia] were both ready to sign, but Biden said NO,” she wrote.

There was in fact no proposed peace agreement that Russia and Ukraine were prepared to sign before Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, according to U.S. and European officials. As Russian troops massed on the border of Ukraine, Western governments urged Russia not to invade and warned there would be economic and diplomatic consequences.

Reuters has reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin rejected a possible deal to avert a war that had been discussed with Kyiv by Russia’s envoy to Ukraine. The Kremlin said the report was inaccurate and has said Russia tried for years to arrive at an understanding with Ukraine.

As for corruption in Ukraine, Zelenskyy has vowed to tackle the problem, sacking senior officials in some recent cases. But some civil society groups have criticized his approach and Ukrainians say corruption is the country’s second-most serious problem, after the Russian invasion, according to a poll conducted last year.

In an annual survey, Transparency International said Ukraine made progress toward addressing the issue and now ranks 104th out of 180 countries on its Corruption Perceptions Index , climbing 12 places up from its previous ranking.

Ukraine is not alone among countries that receive U.S. and other foreign aid but struggle with corruption. Supporters of assisting Ukraine argue it would undermine America’s influence in the world and its humanitarian efforts if Washington withheld foreign aid from every country where there were reports of corruption.

Miller’s office did not respond to a request for comment.

The Biden family and Ukraine

Republicans have repeatedly alleged that President Joe Biden and his son Hunter have corrupt ties to Ukraine, and that they sought $5 million in bribes from the Ukrainian energy company Burisma to protect the firm from an investigation by Ukraine’s prosecutor general.

There is no credible evidence for the allegations. A key source for the accusations against the Bidens is a former FBI informant, Alexander Smirnov, who was arrested in February on federal charges of fabricating the bribery claims. Smirnov says he was fed information by Russian intelligence.

Republicans had heavily promoted Smirnov’s allegations against the Bidens, seeing them as crucial to a planned impeachment effort against the president that has since fizzled .

“In my estimation, that is probably the clearest example of Russian propaganda working its way into the American political system,” said Emerson Brooking, a resident senior fellow at the Digital Forensic Research Lab of the Atlantic Council.

GOP Rep. Paul Gosar of Arizona cited the false bribery allegations in expressing his opposition to providing assistance to Ukraine.

“In exchange for … bribe money from Ukraine, Joe Biden has dished out over $100 billion in taxpayer money to fund the war in Ukraine. I will not assist this corruption by sending more money to the authoritarian Ukrainian regime,” Gosar said in a statement in October.

Gosar’s office did not respond to a request for comment.

Dan De Luce is a reporter for the NBC News Investigative Unit. 

Syedah Asghar is a Capitol Hill researcher for NBC News and is based in Washington, D.C.

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Yevgeny Prigozhin, Renegade Mercenary Chief Who Rattled Kremlin

A tycoon and a Putin ally, he built a paramilitary force that fought by Russia’s side even as he castigated its military leaders. He died at 62 in a plane crash, Russian authorities said.

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By Valerie Hopkins

Since the publication of this obituary, Russia has confirmed the death of Yevgeny V. Prigozhin.

Yevgeny V. Prigozhin, the outspoken tycoon who built a private paramilitary force that fought on Russia’s behalf in Ukraine and Africa but whose harsh judgment of its army leadership led him to instigate a rebellion, was widely believed to be dead on Thursday, a day after a plane in which he was said to be traveling crashed in Russia. He was 62.

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Although his death has not been officially declared by the Russian authorities or confirmed by family members or business associates, President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia spoke of Mr. Prigozhin in the past tense on Thursday and offered condolences to the families of the crash’s 10 victims. And Pentagon officials for the first time openly said they believe that Mr. Prigozhin did not survive the crash, in which all on board were killed. His name was on the passenger list.

Mr. Prigozhin had long leveraged a close relationship with the Kremlin to gain lucrative government construction and catering contracts, and he built up the paramilitary force, known as Wagner, in close cooperation with Russia’s military intelligence services.

For years he kept a low public profile. Even as Wagner conducted operations on Moscow’s behalf in Syria and in several African countries, he denied any affiliation.

Mr. Prigozhin began to embrace a public profile only after Mr. Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, acknowledging later that year that he had founded and run Wagner. Signing contract soldiers and recruiting prison inmates, he built Wagner into a force estimated at 50,000.

In remarks a day after the plane crash, Mr. Putin said he had known Mr. Prigozhin since the early 1990s — a revelation, since the timing of their relationship had long been a mystery. Mr. Prigozhin once said in an interview that he first met Mr. Putin in 2000.

Speaking in a meeting broadcast on television, Mr. Putin continued: “This was a person with a complicated fate. He made some serious mistakes in life, but he also achieved necessary results.”

He said that Russian investigators would pursue the investigation into the crash “to the end,” and offered his condolences to the families of those who perished in the crash.

Mr. Prigozhin had emerged as a public power player in the past several months, using social media, in particular the Telegram messaging platform, to create a personal brand out of tough talk, obscenity-laced videos and a willingness to endorse extrajudicial killing.

Mr. Prigozhin also became a harsh critic of the way Russia’s military leadership conducted the war in Ukraine, issuing denunciations that Mr. Putin left unchecked even as the government cracked down on other critics. Close enough to the president that he was known as “Putin’s chef,” Mr. Prigozhin had been careful not to take on Mr. Putin directly. And for his part, Mr. Putin seemed interested in creating a sort of competition among his military leaders.

But Mr. Prigozhin escalated his feud with the military leadership exponentially on June 23, saying in a 30-minute video that the invasion of Ukraine was a “racket” perpetrated by a corrupt elite chasing money and glory without concern for Russian lives. Within hours, he had accused the Russian Army of attacking his forces , pledged to retaliate, and deployed his forces on Russian ground itself, soon claiming control of the southern city of Rostov-on-Don, the home of the Russian southern command about 60 miles from the border with Ukraine.

Then, as his troops advanced toward Moscow, Mr. Prigozhin abruptly called off the short-lived mutiny, which had challenged Russia’s veneer of political stability. He agreed to withdraw from Rostov-on-Don under a deal that would drop charges against him and allow him and any fighters loyal to him to leave for Belarus. Since then, he has published videos that appear to place him in locations in Belarus, Russia and Africa, but none could be independently verified.

Mr. Prigozhin (pronounced pree-GOH-zhin) was born in 1961 in the same hometown as Mr. Putin: St. Petersburg, then known as Leningrad. He spent nine years in prison in the 1980s on robbery and other charges. Shortly after he was freed in 1990, just as private enterprise was exploding across Russia, Mr. Prigozhin and his mother, Violetta, set up a network of hot-dog stands. His business interests came to include a supermarket chain, casinos, construction and, eventually, work related to the military.

His company Concord Catering began winning lucrative contracts to supply food to schools, government workers and then the army. According to Russian news media reports, companies affiliated with Mr. Prigozhin persuaded Russia’s Parliament to change bidding laws, a rare step, so they could qualify for military construction contracts worth millions.

Wagner’s roots trace to 2014, when Russia launched its first invasion of eastern Ukraine, a clandestine operation. Mr. Prigozhin sought land from the Defense Ministry to train a private army that could fight on behalf of Russia without an official link to the government. He was given the land, in the western Krasnodar region.

It was a convenient combination, said Andrei Soldatov, an expert on Russia’s security services, because it allowed Moscow to deploy professional, Russian-led military operations abroad while maintaining plausible deniability.

Soldiers trained by Wagner would go on to engage in wars in the Middle East and across Africa, in addition to Ukraine. Human rights groups have accused Wagner soldiers of committing atrocities in Syria, Libya, the Central African Republic, Sudan and Mozambique.

Mr. Prigozhin also oversaw an entity known as the Internet Research Agency, based in his native city, which sought to influence the 2016 U.S. presidential election by spreading false news and disseminating messages supporting Donald J. Trump.

In 2016, the United States imposed financial sanctions on Mr. Prigozhin and several of his businesses in relation to those activities. Two years later, he was one of 13 Russian citizens indicted by a U.S. federal grand jury on charges of meddling in the election. He denied his involvement with the agency for years, just as he had denied his affiliation with Wagner, but after the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, he went public about his activities.

“I’ve never just been the financier of the Internet Research Agency,” he wrote in a statement to a consortium of Western journalists in February. “I invented it, I created it, I managed it for a long time. It was created to protect the Russian information space from boorish aggressive propaganda of anti-Russian theses from the West.”

Similarly, he acknowledged founding and running Wagner only in September 2022. Mr. Prigozhin’s paramilitary force took on an increasingly public role after the Russian Army’s plan to capture Kyiv immediately in the initial days of the war had failed. He was seen in videos personally recruiting inmates from prison to serve in Wagner.

“If you serve six months, you are free,” Mr. Prigozhin told a group of uniformed inmates in one video published in September. But he was also blunt about their fate should they prove disloyal. “If you arrive in Ukraine and decide it’s not for you, we will execute you,” he said.

He was able to recruit many thousands of prisoners before announcing in February that he would stop the practice.

As his soldiers were thrown into brutal battles for control of cities in eastern Ukraine, including Bakhmut, Mr. Prigozhin regularly recorded videos near the front lines, seeking credit for battlefield victories, praising his troops as “probably the most experienced army in the world today,” and lambasting the Russian military leadership. In domestic polls, he became one of the best-recognized political figures in Russia.

On his social media channels, and on a media outlet he controlled, RIA FAN, he regularly published videos that struck populist themes and drew implicit contrasts with the Russian defense minister, Sergei K. Shoigu, who had never served as a soldier. Mr. Prigozhin frequently traveled to Wagner encampments, and his criticism of the military leadership and Moscow’s “elite” became blistering as the war continued.

He also embraced ruthless violence against perceived enemies. When a video surfaced of a man who had defected after agreeing to fight for Wagner being killed with a sledgehammer, Mr. Prigozhin appeared to endorse the action.

“A dog’s death for a dog,” he wrote.-

Recently, he called for the imposition of martial law and the cessation of normal government activities in Russia, claiming such steps were needed to win the war.

“We must stop building new roads and infrastructure facilities and work only for the war, to live for a few years in the image of North Korea,” he said in an interview published on the Telegram messaging platform in May. “If we win, we can build anything.”

Mr. Prigozhin was often seen as a creation of Mr. Putin, who analysts say watched and even enabled his public feud with Mr. Shoigu to spur competition for results. But many wondered how long it could continue before escalating into something violent.

In the Telegram interview, Mr. Prigozhin forecast political violence caused by relatives of dead and wounded soldiers increasingly disillusioned by what he described as a coddled elite.

“Society always demands justice,” he said, “and if there is no justice, then revolutionary sentiments arise.”

Oleg Matsnev contributed reporting from Berlin, and Anton Troianovski from London.

Valerie Hopkins is an international correspondent for The Times, covering the war in Ukraine, as well as Russia and the countries of the former Soviet Union. More about Valerie Hopkins

Our Coverage of the War in Ukraine

News and Analysis

With his army making advances in Ukraine and his political grip tightened at home, President Vladimir Putin of Russia arrived in Beijing in search of another win : more support from his “dear friend,” Xi Jinping.

The Biden administration is increasingly concerned that Putin is gathering enough momentum  to change the trajectory of the war.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken sought to reassure Ukrainians  that they could weather an ominous new Russian offensive and count on long-term support from the United States and its European allies.

World’s Nuclear Inspector: Rafael Grossi took over the International Atomic Energy Agency five years ago at what now seems like a far less fraught moment. With atomic fears everywhere, the inspector is edging toward mediator .

Frozen Russian Assets: As much as $300 billion in frozen Russian assets is piling up profits and interest income by the day. Now, Ukraine’s allies are considering how to use those gains to aid Kyiv .

Rebuilding Ukrainian Villages: The people of the Kherson region have slowly rebuilt their livelihoods since Ukraine’s military forced out Russian troops. Now they are bracing for another Russian attack .

How We Verify Our Reporting

Our team of visual journalists analyzes satellite images, photographs , videos and radio transmissions  to independently confirm troop movements and other details.

We monitor and authenticate reports on social media, corroborating these with eyewitness accounts and interviews. Read more about our reporting efforts .

Sleepy far-flung towns in the Philippines will host US forces returning to counter China threats

After withdrawing from two huge U.S. military bases in the Philippines at the end of the Cold War in the early 1990s, American forces are returning and building a new presence in nine sites on Philippine bases under a 2014 defense pact to counter China’s increasingly assertive actions

SANTA ANA, Philippines — The far-flung coastal town of Santa Ana in the northeastern tip of the Philippine mainland has long been known by tourists mostly for its beaches, waterfalls, fireflies and a few casinos.

But that’s changing after the laid-back town of about 35,000 people, which still has no traffic light, became strategically important to America.

The United States and the Philippines, which are longtime treaty allies, have identified Santa Ana in northern Cagayan province as one of nine mostly rural areas where rotating batches of American forces could encamp indefinitely and store their weapons and equipment on local military bases under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement .

Thousands of U.S. forces withdrew from two huge Navy and Air Force bases in the Philippines in the early 1990s at the end of the Cold War, ending nearly a century of American military presence in the country. In recent years, Washington has been reinforcing an arc of military alliances in Asia to counter an increasingly assertive China, which it now regards as its greatest security challenge.

That dovetails with Philippine efforts to bolster its external defenses after an alarming spate of territorial hostilities with Beijing in the South China Sea that started last year . The high seas confrontations have injured several Filipino navy personnel, damaged their boats and strained diplomatic ties.

The remote town of Santa Ana is caught in the geo-political rivalry between Washington and Beijing because of its strategic location. It lies across a sea border from Taiwan, the self-governing island that China regards as a renegade province to be reclaimed by force if necessary. The U.S. has vowed to defend the territory .

Some villagers in Santa Ana have expressed apprehension over the prospect of living near U.S. forces. Their governor, Manuel Mamba, has vehemently opposed the looming U.S. military presence, saying it would turn Cagayan into a military target of China.

Other villagers say the Philippines needs the Americans as a crucial counterweight to China, which they say has been using its military might to threaten Manila’s territorial interests in the South China Sea.

“There’s no choice. If you compare the number of our forces with that of China, they have much, much more,” Romeo Asuncion, a planning and economic development officer in Santa Ana, told The Associated Press. “If the Americans are here, they would protect us whatever happens.”

There’s also the prospect of economic benefits and aid from the U.S. military presence.

“If they donate a school that will be good,” Asuncion said.

Rowena Castillo, a consultant to the town’s mayor, expressed hope the wider attention on Santa Ana would boost tourism. She recently handed out brochures promoting the town’s beach resorts, waterfalls, a historic lighthouse, a crocodile-shaped island and an area that teems with fireflies.

Some villagers acknowledged that even without the U.S. forces, the town would likely be affected in any major-power military showdown due to Santa Ana’s relative proximity to Taiwan.

Authorities and village leaders recently met at the initiative of the local military to discuss contingency plans, including the possibility of setting up emergency shelters for refugees, in case tensions between China and Taiwan flare into an armed conflict, Marion Miranda, Santa Ana’s disaster-mitigating officer, told The AP.

“One problem is where we could bring potential refugees and the budget for that,” Miranda said.

In another rural Cagayan town southwest of Santa Ana called Lal-lo, part of the airport was designated as a possible encampment site for American forces.

Unlike the two massive military bases that American forces used to occupy, including a Navy base at Subic Bay that was about the size of Singapore and had a vibrant red-light district, the U.S. military is building a new presence in a much smaller area within Philippine camps.

During largescale combat drills called Balikatan — Tagalog for “shoulder-to-shoulder” — that ended Friday, Black Hawk and Chinook helicopters carrying allied forces, their weapons and other supplies landed and took off at the Lal-lo airport and the navy camp in Santa Ana. A few journalists, including from The AP, were invited to witness the combat maneuvers.

“It’s an important location. It’s critical because it is an EDCA site so it’s a very big deal to both the United States and to the Philippines,” U.S. Marine Lt. Col. Matthew Schultz told journalists at Lal-lo airport.

“One of the challenges that we have in this airfield now is there is not a lot of parking space or taxiways or additional apron space in order to facilitate a lot of aircraft,” Schultz said.

The EDCA accord, which was signed in 2014, had an initial term of 10 years and has been automatically extended with both sides in agreement, Ambassador to the U.S. Jose Manuel Romualdez said by telephone from Washington.

The agreement allows rotating batches of U.S. forces to stay rent-free at the military sites and store their defense equipment — except nuclear weapons — there.

The U.S. has allocated more than $82 million for the construction of ammunition and fuel storage, an urban combat training facility, aircraft parking, runway repairs and warehouses for humanitarian response items in the first five EDCA sites.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. agreed to add four more EDCA sites where U.S. forces could stay , including the Philippine navy camp in Santa Ana and the Lal-lo airport, last year.

Marcos and other Philippine officials say the renewed U.S. military presence would bolster Philippine external defense and help Filipinos respond more rapidly to natural disasters and is not directed at any country.

China, however, has expressed alarm over the increased U.S. troop deployments in the Philippines and elsewhere in Asia and said the EDCA sites in the northern Philippines could serve as surveillance outposts and staging grounds for U.S. forces to contain Beijing.

Such a display of combat readiness by the U.S. and the Philippines, according to Romualdez, aims to prevent a major conflict by making Chinese leader Xi Jinping realize the cost of a wrong move.

“We’re precisely doing all of these things as a deterrence,” Romualdez said. “We’re trying to tell Xi, when you wake up in the morning, you’ll tell yourself, ‘I’m not gonna do it.’ Not today, not tomorrow and hopefully never.”

Associated Press journalist Joeal Calupitan in Manila contributed to this report.