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The Floating White House: A Brief History of the Presidential Yacht

By: Evan Andrews

Updated: October 31, 2023 | Original: August 18, 2017

Before there was Air Force One, there was the presidential yacht. Dating back to the 19th century, America’s chief executives utilized navy ships and other vessels for recreation and entertaining foreign dignitaries. Nearly a dozen different ships acted as the “Floating White House” between 1880 and 1977, when the last vessel was sold at auction. During that time, they were the scene of international diplomatic summits, congressional schmoozing and the occasional Potomac River pleasure cruise.

The executive yacht “served an important purpose in enabling Presidents to escape the claustrophobic tension of the White House,” former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger has written. It “provided a quiet sanctuary; it was handier than Camp David, easier for casual, informal discussions.”

Abraham Lincoln made use of a steamboat called the River Queen during the Civil War , but the first official presidential yachts date to the Gilded Age. Starting in 1880, America’s commanders in chief sailed aboard a series of Navy vessels including  USS Despatch , USS Dolphin and USS Sylph . In 1886, Despatc h famously ferried Grover Cleveland across New York Harbor for the dedication of the Statue of Liberty .

Presidential boating entered a new era in the early 1900s, when  USS Mayflower took over as the chief executive’s official yacht. Unlike earlier vessels, which were relatively austere in their design, Mayflower was a luxury craft previously owned by real estate millionaire Ogden Goelet. Measuring some 275 feet from stem to stern, it boasted a crew of over 150 and had a sumptuous interior that included a 30-person dining table and bathtubs made from Italian marble.

USS Mayflower is most famously associated with Theodore Roosevelt , who often used it and  USS Sylph for family vacation cruises along Long Island. A more official use came in August 1905, when Roosevelt hosted Japanese and Russian envoys aboard  Mayflower as part of his attempts to mediate peace talks in the Russo-Japanese War . He would later win the Nobel Peace Prize for his role in ending the conflict.

Mayflower served as a presidential plaything for over two decades. Woodrow Wilson is said to have wooed his second wife Edith Bolling Galt during romantic jaunts aboard the ship, and Calvin Coolidge reportedly loved the yacht so much he stationed a Navy chaplain aboard so that he could take Sunday morning cruises without being accused of skipping church. Nevertheless, the ship’s opulence proved to be a sticking point with critics of presidential excess. In 1929, with economic concerns on the rise, Herbert Hoover  finally had  Mayflower decommissioned.

Mayflower was the largest and stateliest of the presidential yachts, but it wasn’t the last. Hoover—a devoted fisherman—soon began making day trips on a wooden-hulled vessel called USS Sequoia , and he eventually grew so attached to it that he had it featured on his 1932 Christmas card. Franklin D. Roosevelt began his tenure with Sequoia , but later switched to USS Potomac, a 165-foot former Coast Guard cutter that included a special elevator to help the wheelchair-bound president move between decks.

FDR occasionally utilized the ship for official business—it carried him to a 1941 meeting with British Prime Minister Winston Churchill —but it was more frequently used for presidential leisure. In his book Sailor in the White House: The Seafaring Life of FDR , author Robert Cross writes that Potomac provided Roosevelt with “an instant means of extricating himself from the confines of Washington. Roosevelt could escape to the open water, where he could do some politicking and thinking, or relax and entertain on deck with friends and advisors, or simply throw a fishing line overboard and patiently wait for a bite.”

Recreation was also the main role of the presidential yachts during the administration of Harry Truman , who hosted floating poker games aboard Sequoia and the 243-foot USS Williamsburg. Dwight D. Eisenhower was more of a landlubber than his predecessors, but sea excursions became popular again in the 1960s, when Sequoia resumed its former role as the main presidential yacht. John F. Kennedy —who also utilized a yacht called Honey Fitz and a sailboat called Manitou —celebrated his final birthday with a party aboard Sequoia. Lyndon B. Johnson installed a liquor bar and enjoyed having movies projected on the main deck.

As the longest serving of the executive yachts, Sequoia played host to several chapters in presidential history. The 104-foot vessel was a more humble affair than many of the other yachts, but the seclusion of its elegant, mahogany-paneled saloon made it an ideal location for sensitive political discussions. Harry Truman talked nuclear arms policy aboard the ship with the prime ministers of Britain and Canada. In the mid-1960s, Lyndon Johnson used yacht trips to hash out Vietnam strategy and lobby legislators to support his Great Society domestic reforms. “The Sequoia was a rostrum from which he was trying to persuade congressmen and senators,” former Johnson aide Jack Valenti said.

Richard Nixon was undoubtedly the most the enthusiastic user of  Sequoia. The 37th president reportedly made as many as 100 trips aboard the yacht, including one in which he met with Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev to negotiate the S ALT I nuclear arms agreement . Near the end of his second term, Nixon also used  Sequoia as a hideout from the controversies of the Watergate scandal . During one final cruise in August 1974, the embattled president reportedly informed his family of his decision to resign before retiring to the ship’s saloon, quaffing a glass of scotch and playing God Bless America on the piano.

The age of the presidential yacht came to a close in 1977. That year, newly inaugurated Jimmy Carter ordered that  Sequoia be offloaded in a public sale. Carter later noted that he was disturbed by the yacht’s $250,000 annual upkeep, but he was also following through on a campaign promise to dispense with the extravagance of the presidency. “Despite its distinguished career, I feel that the Presidential yacht Sequoia is no longer needed,” he wrote in a memo to his Secretary of Defense.

Today, Sequoia and  Potomac are the only two former presidential yachts still in existence. Potomac went through several different owners after its presidential service—including Elvis Presley —and is now moored in Oakland, California. Sequoia, though currently inactive and in a state of disrepair, was once used as a floating museum and private charter boat, and still retains much of its presidential memorabilia. Both vessels are now registered as National Historic Landmarks.

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A dilapidated, raccoon-infested wooden yacht that was once the 'floating White House' for 8 US presidents is being restored – here's a look inside the USS Sequoia

• A rundown, raccoon-infested yacht that once served as a luxurious "floating White House" for eight US presidents between 1933 and 1977 was just barged from Virginia to Maine for a complete restoration.
• The Presidential yacht was sold by Jimmy Carter in the 1970s and became a tourist charter on the Potomac River before being sent to decay in a Virginia shipyard during a legal battle over its ownership.
• Now, a fund that wants to preserve US history and boatbuilders in Belfast, Maine, are teaming up to restore the 1925 wooden yacht plank by plank. 
• During its heyday, the yacht hosted JFK's final birthday party and Nixon's last days before his resignation.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. 

Air Force One is occasionally referred to as the "flying Oval Office." Forty years ago, there was a floating Oval Office, too. 

Now, a group of investors and master boatbuilders are working together to restore it.

A 104-foot wooden yacht that was once considered the height of luxury was purchased by the US government in 1931 from an oil tycoon to be the official vessel for the highest office in the country. That "floating White House" then served eight presidents, from Herbert Hoover to Jimmy Carter, between the years of 1933 and 1977.

The USS Sequoia could accommodate up to eight people across five staterooms, but could also host more than 20 for dinners and parties. JFK even had his 46th birthday party on board. The vessel has a storied history, with presidents cruising on it for both leisure and business. 

Jimmy Carter sold the USS Sequoia at auction in 1977, and since then, it has changed hands many times. Over the last decade, it has fallen into decay and been the focal point of a lengthy legal battle .

The yacht, which has been home to a family of raccoons in Virginia in recent years, was barged to Belfast, Maine, earlier in October to begin the restoration process.

Keep reading for a look at the vessel and its history.

The Sequoia is a 104-foot wooden motor yacht that was built in 1925 and served as an official mode of transportation for eight US presidents between 1933 and 1977.

Source: The Equator Collection , Business Insider

The yacht was purchased by the US government in 1931 from a Texas oil tycoon. It was then used by each president from Herbert Hoover to Jimmy Carter to host events related to both work and leisure.

Source : Town & Country

Franklin D. Roosevelt installed an elevator in the 1930s to make the yacht more easily accessible for his wheelchair. Lyndon B. Johnson later replaced the elevator with a bar.

In 1963, John F. Kennedy celebrated his 46th birthday – his last birthday – aboard the Sequoia with his family, friends, and a bottle of 1955 Dom Perignon.

Source: The Washington Post

Richard Nixon was on board when he decided to resign in 1974. The captain said he played "God Bless America" on the presidential piano following the decision.

Source: CBS News

According to CBS News, Nixon spent more time on the yacht than any other president. At one point, he even hosted Leonid Brezhnev, the fifth leader of the Soviet Union, there.

Jimmy Carter sold the vessel at auction in 1977 for $286,000, looking to maintain a less outwardly luxurious presidency.

In a 2011 interview with the JFK Presidential Library , Carter spoke about selling the presidential yacht: "People thought I was not being reverent enough to the office I was holding, that I was too much of a peanut farmer, not enough of an aristocrat, or something like that. So I think that shows that the American people want something of, an element of, image of monarchy in the White House."

After President Carter sold the boat, it was used for tours of the Potomac River and even $10,000 four-hour charters. It served that purpose through multiple owners.

It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1987 and switched hands multiple times before becoming embroiled in a legal battle regarding its ownership in 2013.

The legal issues stemmed from two LLC investment groups debating ownership.

During legal proceedings, the yacht was left to decay in Virginia.

A Delaware judge ultimately ruled that one of the investment groups could acquire the Sequoia at "an adjusted price" of $0 in 2016.

In the ruling, the judge also wrote: "The Sequoia, an elderly and vulnerable wooden yacht, is sitting on an inadequate cradle on an undersized marine railway in a moribund boatyard on the western shore of the Chesapeake, deteriorating and, lately, home to raccoons."

The Equator Collection, the company that purchased the raccoon-infested yacht for $0, is a fund that aims to preserve "maritime assets that are significant to the history of the United States."

Source :  The Equator Collection

It just barged the defunct Sequoia from Virginia to Belfast, Maine, where a lengthy restoration process is set to begin.

Source: French & Webb

After collaborating with Maine-based boatbuilders French & Webb to restore the Sequoia plank by plank, the Equator Collection intends to send the yacht back to the Potomac River as a kind of museum and educational tool.

On its barge-supported voyage from Virginia to Maine, the Sequoia passed through New York City, under the Brooklyn Bridge ...

... before arriving in Belfast, Maine, on October 21.

The restoration process is expected to take several years, according to the boatbuilders' press release.

• Main content

What Ever Happened to the Presidential Yacht?

The "floating White House" once provided a venue for American officials, prom parties, and leisurely afternoons offshore. Now it's rotting away in a boatyard and has become home to raccoons.

• The USS Sequoia was built in 1925 and served eight presidents before Jimmy Carter put it up for auction in 1977
• John F. Kennedy added a king-size bed to the yacht and celebrated his 46th birthday on the boat. Marilyn Monroe may have also joined him for a cruise or two.
• It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1987 and commanded rental fees of $10,000 a day at one point.
• It's now reportedly deteriorating in a Virginia boatyard. Following a prolonged legal battle, a judge last year awarded a Washington, D.C.-based company the right to acquire it for $0.

Presidents travel in style. Perks of the office include a custom Boeing 747 for long range journeys, a Sikorsky Sea King helicopter for shorter jaunts, and an apocalypse-proof armored Cadillac limousine, nicknamed "the Beast," for ground transit. As luxurious as this sounds, one form of transportation has been conspicuously absent from the chief executive's lineup for 40 years: the presidential yacht.

Numerous ships have been commissioned to carry the president since 1880. The longest serving and most famous among them is the USS Sequoia , which carried eight presidents as a "floating White House" from 1933 until 1977. Docked at Pier One in the Washington Navy Yard, the presidential yacht provided an easily accessible and secure location for conducting meetings, entertaining dignitaries, and avoiding media scrutiny.

Designed by renowned Norwegian naval architect Johan Trumpy in 1925, the 104-foot, mahogany-hulled motor yacht could sleep six and accommodate 40 revelers for cocktails on the spacious aft-deck or 22 guests for a formal dinner in the salon. Trumpy yachts represented the pinnacle of seafaring luxury in their day and were sought out by titans of industry like DuPont, Chrysler, Firestone, and Dodge for their speed, range, and comfort.

Purchased from a Texas oil tycoon by the U.S. Government in 1931, the Sequoia was briefly deployed by the Department of Commerce as a decoy ship on the Mississippi in an effort to capture rum-runners during Prohibition. It was officially commissioned by the Navy in 1933 and President Hoover promptly sailed the newly christened USS Sequoia to Florida for a sport-fishing expedition. President Hoover had decommissioned the 318-foot USS Mayflower as an austerity measure early in his term but was so fond of the Sequoia that he featured it on the White House Christmas card in 1932. A move that many construed as callous as he sought to steer the country out of the depths of the Great Depression.

Franklin Roosevelt also fished from Sequoia , often pulling perch from the Potomac River, but primarily used the boat for more serious matters. During World War II he and Winston Churchill discussed military strategies on board, meetings that required FDR to officially decommission the ship to accommodate the prime minister who would not drink on a Navy vessel. The change in official status allowed for the guilt-free consumption of "Churchill Martinis" while the two discussed D-Day cruising the Chesapeake.

Each president updated Sequoia to serve his personal needs and tastes. FDR installed an elevator to more easily access each deck by wheelchair, and Harry Truman added a spinet piano to the main salon. LBJ lowered the floor of the shower to accommodate his six-foot-four frame and replaced FDR's elevator with a wet bar.

John F. Kennedy, whose modifications included the addition of a king-size bed, used Sequoia sparingly. He did celebrate his 46th, and final, birthday on board, however, and it is rumored that Marilyn Monroe joined him for a cruise or two. It is hard to know for sure, though, as a crewmember destroyed all of the relevant ship's logs after Kennedy's death.

Richard Nixon was the most avid sailor of the Sequoia , logging 88 trips while in office. Some voyages were better than others. He negotiated the SALT I nuclear arms treaty with General Secretary Leonid Brezhnev on board and anguished over the decision to resign with a bottle of scotch at Truman's piano. He went on to announce to his family the plan to resign the presidency, rather than face impeachment, while cruising the Potomac.

The first family was often aboard but no presidential offspring made better use of Sequoia than Gerald Ford's daughter, Susan. She and friends from Holton Arms School enjoyed the sunset and a dinner of beef stroganoff in the main salon before celebrating their senior prom at the White House in 1975. She also celebrated her 19th birthday on board and joined her father for many of his cabinet meeting-cum-dinner parties, which the gregarious president visibly enjoyed.

In an interview about the Sequoia with Newsweek in 2012, Henry Kissinger explained the unique day-to-day role of the yacht: "It's important for the president to be by himself, to remove himself from the machinery of the White House. Of course, he can get on a plane and go to Florida or anywhere else, but that requires throwing the machinery into motion. But here, he just can say at five o'clock, 'I'm going to the boat, I'm taking four or five people. And you don't have to call it a meeting and you don't have to prepare the papers.'"

Its reputation as a diplomatic instrument and suitable refuge for wary presidents could not protect the Sequoia from the prevailing political tides of 1977. The tab for keeping the Sequoia shipshape and staffed was running $800,000 a year when Jimmy Carter took office, and he viewed the expense as "unjustified and unnecessary." In keeping with his campaign promise to trim the trappings of the "Imperial Presidency," President Carter ceremoniously auctioned it off for $236,000, bringing to an end the era of the presidential yacht.

For many years following President Carter’s sale, the Sequoia enjoyed celebrity status in the private sector. Famed not only for her long service to presidents, but also as one of the best-preserved Trumpys still floating, the yacht commanded rental fees of $10,000 per day. The Sequoia was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1987 and renters were able to experience a yacht preserved to presidential standards.

As with all wooden hulled vessels, the Sequoia required near constant maintenance, often having to be hauled out of the water for repairs. During one such refit Washington attorney Gary Silversmith, whose Sequoia Presidential Yacht Group LLC operated the vessel, became entangled in a lawsuit with a lender . The boat remained "on the hard" (on land) as the case wound its way through the courts, allowing it to fall further into disrepair.

Vice Chancellor Sam Glassock, the presiding judge in the case, noted the depressing state of the once-glamorous ship in his 2016 ruling : "The Sequoia, an elderly and vulnerable wooden yacht, is sitting on an inadequate cradle on an undersized marine railway in a moribund boatyard on the western shore of the Chesapeake, deteriorating and, lately, home to raccoons."

Glassrock ruled that FE Partners LLC , a joint venture between the D.C.-based Equator Capital Group and members of an Indian family with connections to the mining and shipping industry, could acquire the yacht for $0. FE Partners, which also owns Joseph P. Kennedy’s 31-foot yawl Tenovus, has said it plans to return the Sequoia to her home waters once the raccoons are evicted and the restoration is completed.

This will be no small feat but Michael Cantor, managing partner at Equator Capital Group, is determined to see Sequoia sail again. He speculates that journey will require a specialized crane to remove the yacht from the marine railway to a boatyard staffed with at least 20 historically trained shipwrights who will need to source three specific types of wood for the keel, frame, and hull. The price tag for the restoration could ultimately reach into the millions of dollars, but to Cantor the cost and effort are worthwhile to preserve what he views as the most significant piece of American history in private hands. He adds that should any president want to use the yacht once it is completed, it will certainly be available to them.

Throughout its storied career, the Sequoia bore witness to all the hallmarks of the modern presidency: historic feats of diplomacy, alleged extramarital affairs, and Russian intrigue. The office still claims many of those traits, but it no longer has the yacht. That ship has sailed.

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Courtesy of the U.S. Navy archives (1939).

The Sequoia: The Floating White House

by Bob Cerullo

August 31, 2021

Emily Roebling Cadwalader was the granddaughter of John Roebling, the man who designed and built the Brooklyn Bridge, and she was wealthy beyond the wildest dreams of even the very wealthy. She was a socialite, philanthropist and passionate about her yachts .In 1923, she and her husband wealthy banker, Richard Cadwalader, commissioned John Trumpy to design a lavish 85-foot yacht they named Sequoia . Trumpy designed the Sequoia to cruise the Chesapeake and Delaware Bays in summer. In the winter, it was to sail down the Intercoastal Waterway to Florida to show off the couple’s enormous wealth.

 However, Emily Cadwalader soon concluded her new yacht was not big enough or grand enough to truly represent their colossal wealth and position. Richard Cadwalader was a member of the prestigious New York Yacht Club. Emily simply had to have a bigger yacht. In just a year from having taken delivery on the Sequoia, she commissioned Trumpy to build her a bigger and grander 104-foot yacht to be named the Sequoia II . Trumpy was chosen because of his growing reputation for building luxury yachts with shallow draft which made Trumpy yachts ideal for the Chesapeake Bay and the Intracoastal Waterway. The Sequoia II had a draft of four and half feet and a beam of 19 feet. The yacht was built at the Mathis Yacht Building Company in Camden, New Jersey. The Sequoia II was delivered in 1925 and cost $200,000 ($3 million in today’s dollars). Even the brand-new Sequoia II did not make Emily Cadwalader happy for long. Within a year she ordered a new 195-foot yacht. Still not pleased with the size of that yacht, she ordered a 265-foot yacht. In 1932, she bought an even larger yacht, the 446-foot yacht named the Savarona . At the time, it was hailed as the largest private yacht in the world.

In 1928, the Sequoia II was sold to a Galveston oil tycoon named William Dunning. Dunning kept the Sequoia II at the Corinthian Yacht Club in New York City. He cruised extensively from Maine to Cuba and Mexico City. With his business damaged by the stock market crash, Dunning sold the Sequoia II to the United States Department of Commerce in March 1931 for a price of $48,860. Prohibition was the law of the land at that time, and the Sequoia II was used as a decoy yacht or inspection vessel to catch unsuspecting rumrunners who cruised the Chesapeake offering illegal liquor to yachts and other boats.

Over the years, there were several Naval ships that were unofficially used as presidential yachts, such as the USS Dispatch , the USS Dolphin , and the USS Sylph . In 1921, the USS Mayflower became the

Courtesy of U.S. Navy archives.

President Hoover enjoyed using the Sequoia in the 1930s. It became the official presidential yacht at the request of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

Secretary of the Navy’s yacht. Built in 1896, she was 318 feet long. Originally, she was a yacht then converted to a warship. In 1905, the USS Mayflower was converted back to a yacht for the use of President Theodore Roosevelt. She was used by Presidents William Howard Taft, Woodrow Wilson, Warren G. Harding and Calvin Coolidge for recreation as well as to hold presidential meetings. In 1929, President Herbert Hoover had the USS Mayflower decommissioned to save money. In 1931, Hoover called upon the Department of Commerce to put the Sequoia II at his disposal. Hoover used the Sequoia II on April 25, 1931, for a trip between Washington, D.C and Cape Henry, Virginia. Hoover became very fond of the Sequoia II and even used a photo of it on his 1932 Christmas card. He took a lot of criticism at a time when many Americans were in bread lines.

After his inauguration on March 4,1933, President Franklin Roosevelt spread the word around various government departments that, if it was available, he wanted the Sequoia II as his official presidential yacht. On March 23, 1933, the yacht became the official presidential yacht. Roosevelt liked to fish for perch on the Potomac River. On one of his fishing trips, he came by limousine to Deltaville, Virginia and met the yacht Sequoia II at the wharf at the end of North End road. Roosevelt liked to fish the wrecks in the Chesapeake Bay. Because Franklin D. Roosevelt was wheelchair bound, he had an elevator installed. Oddly, Lyndon Johnson had the elevator removed, and a bar installed in its place.

Roosevelt’s first invited guest was the Prime Minister of Great Britain. The president liked to cruise with cabinet members, foreign dignitaries and close friends. Joseph Kennedy, Sr., was one of those friends. The Sequoia II served President Roosevelt for nine years. In 1942, the Sequoia II was transferred to the US Coast Guard, and her name was changed to the Sequoia .

President Truman invited British Prime Minister Clement Atlee, Canadian Prime Minister Mackenzie King and US Secretary of State James Byrnes for a cruise on Armistice Day, November 11,1945. President Eisenhower utilized the Sequoia rarely and, essentially, only for official business. Lord Louis Mountbatten, Chief of British Defense, was one of his few guests in 1959.

Photo courtesy of Robert Knudsen

John F. Kennedy aboard his beloved Manitou.

President John F. Kennedy loved boats. He often sailed a US Government owned sailboat named the Manitou . During his presidency, much to the chagrin of the Secret Service, he sailed the Manitou himself and enjoyed cruising on the Sequoia and another presidential yacht, the Honey Fitz . Kennedy’s speech writer and aide, Theodore Sorensen, said, “On board either the family or the presidential cruiser the president read history or biography or fiction, chatted with family and friends, waved at passing boats, watched local sailing races and enjoyed the distance between himself and the Secret Service.” Kennedy celebrated his 46th birthday on the Sequoia .

According to Jack Valenti, a former aide to Lyndon Johnson, “Lyndon Johnson used yacht trips on the Sequoia to hash out Vietnam strategy and lobby legislators to support his Great Society domestic reforms.” Johnson had the top deck modified so she could accommodate more people. “The  Sequoia  was a rostrum from which he was trying to persuade congressmen and senators.” Richard Nixon used the Sequoia more than just about any of his predecessors. The 37th president reportedly made as many as 100 trips aboard the yacht, including one in which he met with Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev to negotiate the Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT). When the pressure from Watergate got too heavy, Nixon also used the Sequoia  as a hideout from the controversies of the scandal. It was on one of the final cruises in August 1974 that embattled President Richard Nixon reportedly informed his family of his decision to resign as President of the United States. After telling them, he retired to the ship’s saloon, quaffed a glass of scotch, and played  God Bless America  on the piano.

President Ford felt that his cabinet members and his children should be able to enjoy the Sequoia. Ford entertained Japanese Emperor Hirohito, USSR Deputy Prime Minister Ignaty Novikov and other international statesmen on the Sequoia .

The Sequoia cost $250,000 a year to operate. President Carter, in a cost cutting effort, and to fulfill a campaign promise, ordered her sold in 1977. Carter told his Secretary of Defense, “Despite its distinguished career, I feel that the Presidential yacht Sequoia is no longer needed.”

The Sequoia was eventually sold and used as a charter party yacht in Washington, D.C., commanding $10,000 for a one-day charter. During that period, she had a varied history, from being used as a charter boat for political and corporate events to touring as an historical exhibit. The Sequoia was berthed at the dock at Hain’s Point in the Washington Channel for seven years. She was available to President Reagan but was unused by him. In 1984, the Sequoia embarked on a six-thousand-mile odyssey cruise to raise money for her owners at that time, the Presidential Yacht Trust. During that time her maintenance was at times adequate and at other times dubious. Eventually, she wound up at Deagle’s Boat Yard in Deltaville, Virginia and was in much need of repair. Legal problems ensued, and for several years she remained on dry land in Deltaville while the elements advanced her deterioration and raccoons nested onboard.

Courtesy of Wolfe House and Building Movers.

USS Sequoia onboard the barge.

Just when any hope of saving the Sequoia seemed totally lost, she was ordered by the court to be turned over to an investment group with the stipulation that she would fully be restored. The price ordered by the court was $0.00. Restoration was awarded to the French & Webb Inc. in Belfast, Maine. Since the Sequoia had deteriorated to the point where she was no longer seaworthy, Wolfe House and Building Movers was given the Herculean job of moving the Sequoia from dry land onto a massive barge for the trip to Maine.

When the Sequoia arrived at Belfast, Maine in October of 2019, she was positioned in the French and Webb yard. Eventually, a building will be constructed to cover the Sequoia . There will also be a viewing area where visitors can watch the work in progress. Todd French of French and Webb was quoted in the January 2020 issue of Soundings Magazine . He said, “The public is connected to it. We’ve had so many people show up and look reverentially at this project, it’s like people are just in awe, taking pictures. It’s like they’re coming to church.” The restoration will take about three years at which time the Sequoia will once again cruise the waters of the Potomac River.

It is strangely ironic that the Sequoia , which was not grand enough nor large enough to please wealthy socialite Emily Roebling Cadwalader, became the floating White House and was used by five presidents of the United States and visited by future presidents and by countless international celebrities. It is perhaps the most important historical yacht still in existence. The Sequoia was designated as a National Historic Landmark on December 23, 1987.

In his book, Sequoia, Presidential Yacht, Captain Giles M. Kelly, USNR (ret) recounts his years in command of the Sequoia. There is a great video of the Sequoia being loaded onto a barge at the Chesapeake Bay Marine Railway. See USS Sequoia - Presidential Yacht Relocated on YouTube

2017 The House & Home Magazine

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USS Sequoia – The Floating White House

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The 2020 Race for the White House came and went on Nov. 3. But did you know there was a yacht known as “The Floating White House?” USS Sequoia was a presidential yacht and served eight presidents between 1931 and 1977. The 95-year-old, 104-foot yacht was a significant part of U.S. history.

A 2019 article about the restoration of USS Sequoia stated the yacht, which was indeed known as the Floating White House, was where several key events occurred during its 40-plus-year run as a place for U.S. presidents.

The eight presidents who had USS Sequoia at his disposal were: Herbert Hoover; Franklin Delano Roosevelt; Harry Truman; Dwight Eisenhower; John F. Kennedy; Lyndon B. Johnson; Richard Nixon; Gerald Ford; and, Jimmy Carter.

What happened aboard USS Sequoia , you might be asking? We’ll never know everything that happened aboard, but MegaYacht News stated the yacht helped Kennedy celebrate his 46th – and last – birthday. USS Sequoia was also the site where Nixon made his decision to resign in 1974, according to MegaYacht News .

Carter reportedly sold the yacht, ending Sequoia ’s long run as a presidential annex. MegaYacht News said Carter made the decision to sell the yacht, because it was “unbecoming for the President to have such a luxury during tough economic times.”

An oral interview with Carter, published by the JFK Library, indicated the 39th President took some heat for selling the yacht.

“People thought I was not being reverent enough to the office I was holding, that I was too much of a peanut farmer, not enough of an aristocrat, or something like that,” Carter said in the published oral interview.

USS Sequoia became a National Historic Landmark in 1987 and is now owned by Equator Capital Group.

The yacht was built in 1925 in New Jersey.

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The USS Potomac served as FDR’s floating White House during World War II.

This article appears in: September 2017

By Eric Niderost

Washington, D.C., is not known for its mild climate, but the summer of 1941 seemed particularly enervating. The city was enveloped in a fierce humid heat that tended to suck the air out of one’s lungs even as it drenched one’s body in perspiration. The political climate matched the torrid temperatures. Most of the world was at war, and the United States had

so far managed to stay out of the spreading conflict. Many Americans were isolationists, ardently wishing to avoid war and taking comfort in the fact that the nation was seemingly protected by the vastness of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. A formal isolationist movement known as the America First Committee was created in the autumn of 1940 and eventually boasted more than 800,000 members nationwide.

Still, the news from abroad was troubling. Nazi Germany controlled most of the European continent and in June had launched a massive offensive against Soviet Russia. It was a titanic struggle, and in the late summer of 1941 the Germans were making such progress it seemed only a matter of time before the Russians would succumb to Adolf Hitler’s war machine. In the Far East the news was just as grim. Japan was still attempting to subdue China and was already casting covetous eyes on the weakly held European colonies of Southeast Asia.

In March 1941 U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt persuaded Congress to pass the Lend-Lease Act, pledging material support, short of going to war, to any country considered vital to the defense of the United States. The chief beneficiary was Great Britain, which was under the dynamic and charismatic leadership of Prime Minister Winston S. Churchill. But Roosevelt repeatedly assured the American public that the United States was not going to war and that measures like Lend-Lease were purely defensive in nature.

While Washington still suffered under the blistering heat, Roosevelt’s Press Secretary, Stephen Early, announced that the president would soon go on a cruise aboard the Potomac. This was not unexpected because Roosevelt had been a virtual White House recluse in recent months. Apart from a brief weekend at his country estate at Hyde Park in early June, and a Potomac cruise in March, the president stayed close to his desk at the White House.

Just the mere thought of a cruise seemed to invigorate the president, and when he held a cabinet meeting on August 2 he was in his usual ebullient mood. “Franklin Roosevelt patted his perspiring forehead and glanced at his cluttered desk,” wrote a Time magazine reporter. “There was … the old optimistic cast in his eye.” The reporter’s observation was not hyperbole. Roosevelt loved the sea and was an avid sailor from his youth.

The wind-dimpled Atlantic waters were like a tonic and the sea air, which was so unlike the stifling, humid hothouse atmosphere of the nation’s capital, helped soothe both his chronic sinus problems and his frame of mind. Once aboard the Potomac, Roosevelt could relax, fish, and even devote a few hours to his beloved stamp collection.

Late Sunday morning, August 3, Roosevelt left the White House and was driven to Union Station to board a special train to New London, Connecticut, where the Potomac was waiting. He had a small entourage with him, a party that included his personal physician U.S. Admiral Ross T. McIntire and his aides.

The Potomac, designed as a recreational vessel for the nation’s hard-working chief executive, was entering a new phase of its maritime career. The ship would play a major role in an elaborate deception designed to throw a veil of secrecy around a first-time summit meeting between Roosevelt and Churchill. With German submarines, which Roosevelt’s described as “those rattlesnakes of the Atlantic,” ever on the prowl, this cloak-and-dagger approach was necessary.

When Franklin Roosevelt took office in 1933 the presidential yacht was the Sequoia, a 104-foot vessel built in 1925. Sequoia’s biggest drawback was that it was made of wood. Roosevelt had been a paraplegic since 1921, and he feared being trapped in a fire. An all-steel ship seemed safer to him, so in 1936 the Coast Guard cutter Electra was commissioned a U.S. Navy vessel and renamed Potomac. Extensively renovated, it was ready for service by 1936.

Potomac was much larger than its predecessor. The vessel was 165 feet long and displaced 416 gross tons. It could also reach cruising speeds of 10 to 13 knots and had a crew of 54 men. It required no fewer than a dozen stewards to cater to the needs of the president and his guests.

The ship’s first real foray into the world of diplomacy occurred when King George VI and Queen Elizabeth came to Washington in June 1939. It was the first time reigning British monarchs had ever visited the United States, and one of the highlights of the tour was a short trip aboard the Potomac to George Washington’s home at Mount Vernon.

Roosevelt grew to love the Potomac and the freedom it gave him to escape the cares of Washington. Not that it was all fun and games; he loved informal talks with congressional leaders and brainstorming strategy sessions with close advisers. Yet when all was said and done Roosevelt usually kept his own counsel. His charm and vibrant wit, while genuine, also were a smokescreen that hid his somewhat enigmatic personality from others.

Churchill was grateful for American aid but wanted more. He also hoped that eventually the United States would join the Allied cause, but he realized this was more than Roosevelt could deliver, at least at that time. For his part, Roosevelt had no desire for war, but he knew he had to slowly but surely prepare the American people for the trials they would almost certainly face in the near future. Roosevelt might have lost the use of his legs, but he was a skilled tightrope walker in the political arena.

Certainly there was a growing need for Anglo-American cooperation in the face of fascist aggression. Roosevelt also mulled the future of Europe once the Nazi scourge had been eliminated from the world. Plans slowly developed for Roosevelt and Churchill to meet to discuss these issues. Each man would bring along military and governmental officials to draw up plans for further Anglo-American cooperation.

The two leaders planned to meet at Argentia on Newfoundland Island in Canada. While Roosevelt and Churchill got to know each other and discussed world affairs, their respective senior diplomatic and military personnel would huddle and draw up plans, laying the groundwork for vital Anglo-American cooperation on air, land, and sea.

The presidential party reached New London at 8:15 pm, the train backing up to within about 100 yards of the waiting Potomac. But before Roosevelt could board all the necessary honors had to be observed. There was a brief 10-minute ceremony with Connecticut Governor Robert A. Hurley and the New London submarine base commander. Once all the formalities were out of the way, the president boarded the ship as a bosun’s pipe squealed a welcoming acknowledgement of his presence.

The president’s staff informed the press corps that reporters would not be allowed on the cruise. A few might be permitted to tag along in the early stages, but once the voyage got underway journalists would be excluded. Potomac would have an escort vessel, the Coast Guard cutter Calypso, but unfortunately there was not enough room to accommodate the press.

“From the time the president boards the Potomac until the time he returns to shore the movement of the ship will be a confidential naval operation under a tight veil of secrecy,” said Hurley. Few if any reporters were suspicious; after all, even though America was still neutral one never knew what Hitler had up his sleeve. U-boats prowling along the Atlantic seaboard posed a real threat to U.S. national security.

The first 24 hours of the cruise were routine and roused no suspicion among the press corps. After a leisurely journey up the coast, Potomac dropped anchor for the night at Harbor of Refuge in Point Judith, Rhode Island. The next morning the ship continued on to South Dartmouth, Massachusetts, where Roosevelt was scheduled to entertain some special guests. Ever the gallant type, the president personally drove a Chris-Craft speedboat to pick them up.

The guests were Crown Princess Martha of Norway, her brother Prince Karl of Sweden, and Martha’s two young children, Ragnhild and Astrid. By all accounts the brown-eyed, 40-year-old princess was tall, elegant, and strikingly handsome. She was, in the words of a breathless admirer, “exactly as a princess should look.”

Roosevelt loved to flirt with the ladies, and nothing put him in a better mood than to have feminine companionship, especially with an old friend like Martha. The president insisted that he personally take the royals on a tour of Potomac. Although he genuinely enjoyed playing host, there was a method to this seemingly frivolous madness. Roosevelt knew, and subsequent events bore this out, that the newspapers would take the bait and prominently feature the royal visitors in their latest editions. It made colorful copy, and it also obscured the real purpose of the cruise.

The Potomac was roughly divided amidships. The forward half included the radio room, galley, guest bedrooms, ship’s bridge, and quarters for the officers and crew. The aft section was truly the “White House” section of the vessel, for it included a saloon, the president’s cabin, and the fantail.

The saloon was essentially the dining room, although to landlubbers the name conjures images of a bar in the Old West. But in ship parlance saloon means a large public area. Tastefully decorated but not ostentatious, the room featured green curtains and framed nautical prints, the latter revealing Roosevelt’s deep love of the sea.

Roosevelt’s guided tour probably did not include his personal cabin. The cabin, faithfully restored when Potomac became a museum ship, is surprisingly small for such an important figure. A modest bed, small dresser, and mirror hover over a miniscule sink. But rank does have its privileges, even in such a tiny cabin. A small side door opens to reveal a flush toilet and a steel sitz tub.

Mobility was always a problem, especially if Roosevelt wanted to go to the ship’s upper deck to do a little fishing off the fantail. The issue was solved when the aft smoke stack, which apparently was not essential for the ship’s operation, was converted into a hidden elevator. Its interior space is about three feet by four, which was just about enough space for his wheelchair. The elevator was raised and lowered by means of a manual rope and pulley system, which again posed no problem for a man of Roosevelt’s muscular build.

The fantail, located on the lower deck of the ship’s stern, was probably Roosevelt’s favorite part of the presidential yacht. It was a place designed for both business and pleasure. The president could receive reports, discuss plans, or simply enjoy a cocktail with friends. The fantail’s most notable feature is a semicircular settee. Roosevelt liked to sit in the center of the settee and hold court, so to speak.

Security was always a factor, especially as the nation approached war. The fantail was covered in bulletproof glass, and after 1940 at least one machine gun was mounted when the president was aboard.

The covert phase of the voyage began after Potomac left South Dartmouth. Potomac quietly and secretly made a rendezvous with the heavy cruiser Augusta, flagship of the Atlantic Fleet, just off Martha’s Vineyard. Augusta was accompanied by the heavy cruiser Tuscaloosa and five destroyers of Destroyer Division 17, Madison, Moffett, Sampson, Winslow, and McDougal.

It was a formidable array of naval power, but the Potomac, which was Lilliputian compared to the other great vessels, still had a vital role to play. After Roosevelt was transferred to the Augusta, Potomac continued to sail the coast as if he were aboard and the fishing trip was in full swing.

Everything possible was done to lull people’s suspicions; not one detail was overlooked. The presidential ensign still flew proudly on the Potomac’s flagstaff, a flag that only was raised when Roosevelt was aboard. When the Potomac entered the 17-mile Cape Cod Canal, the subterfuge went into full swing. Because the canal allowed people to see the ship more closely, an actor of roughly the same facial features and build played Roosevelt to the unsuspecting crowds.

The substitute wore much the same clothes, waving to enthusiastic onlookers while smoking a cigarette in a holder that jutted from his mouth at a 45-degree angle. Everyone was taken in. Many people must have been delighted to have seen the president, not knowing he was completely counterfeit.

The deception was not only visual. Dispatches from Potomac painted an idyllic picture of a president at play, free from cares. “After a night of restful sleep the President is continuing his cruise,” read one note. “He is … enjoying the sea air from the fantail.”

But no secret is really safe in Washington, and rumors began circulating that Roosevelt just might be meeting Churchill. The rumors were substantial enough that the New York Times made note of them. The newspaper printed the speculation under the banner headline: “Meeting of Churchill and Roosevelt on President’s Cruise Reported.”

Rumors might fly, but Potomac’s deceptive cruise continued without interruption. While the presidential yacht continued playing charades, Roosevelt met Churchill and engaged in three days of substantial talks from August 9 to 12. By August 14, the conference over, and the participants, one of whom was Churchill, safe, it was decided to inform the press of the diplomatic progress.

The New York Times banner headline said it all: “Roosevelt, Churchill Draft Peace Aims. Pledging Destruction of Nazi Tyranny; Joint Steps Believed Chartered at Parlay.” Eventually Roosevelt transferred back to the Potomac and on August 16 held a press conference in the yacht’s saloon. Roosevelt affably fended off questions that asked too many details but did not mind giving his impressions of Churchill. Potomac’s smokescreen mission was successfully concluded.

Potomac’s role as a kind of floating cover story was not yet over. On Veteran’s Day, November 11, 1943, Roosevelt visited the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery. He was accompanied by the secretary of war and the U.S. Navy secretary, but no other dignitaries. Perhaps more unusual was the fact that Roosevelt, who usually could be counted on to give a memorable word or two, gave no speech and did not speak to the press. It was to be his last public appearance in Washington for several weeks.

Roosevelt left the White House that very evening, accompanied by a small entourage that included adviser Harry Hopkins and perhaps a couple of other guests. The presidential party motored to Quantico, Virginia, where Potomac was waiting. On the morning of November 12, Potomac rendezvoused with the battleship Iowa, and the president was transferred to the larger ship. A special ramp connected Potomac and Iowa, allowing Roosevelt to remain in his wheelchair when he came aboard.

Roosevelt was beginning a 7,000-mile odyssey that would eventually take him to Teheran, Iran. The Teheran Conference reunited him with Churchill and brought in a third player, Soviet dictator Josef Stalin. The so-called Big Three discussed many issues, including the opening of a second front against Germany.

Once again, Potomac played its role to perfection. Its radio room also posted routine, almost laconic trivialities about good fishing and the like. Once again, no one suspected anything was wrong. Potomac’s second foray into diplomatic subterfuge was also a success.

When Franklin Roosevelt died in April 1945, Potomac’s life as a presidential yacht was at an end. After suffering many ordeals and coming close to being scrapped, Potomac was reborn as a museum ship dedicated to the 32nd U.S. president. It can be visited at Jack London Square in Oakland, California.

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All the President's Yachts: The Rise, Fall, and Resurrection of FDR's Floating White House

By Ben Marks — February 15th, 2017

It has come to our attention that our president lacks a yacht. That’s right: Donald J. Trump, who is so rich that our eyeballs would burn right out of their sockets if we so much as glimpsed his tax returns, is without a suitably luxurious means of floating on our nation’s great inland waterways or along its rocky shores. Our commander-in-chief reportedly owns a Boeing 757, a Cessna Citation X, a trio of helicopters, a pair of Rolls Royces, a Lamborghini Diablo, and a custom-made, gold-trimmed motorcycle from Orange County Choppers. But when it comes to watercraft, President Trump is up that proverbial creek without so much as a paddle.

“Roosevelt was a martini guy. A good cocktail was very important to him.”

Once upon a time, we the people supplied our presidents with a floating getaway. Leaders as politically dissimilar as Herbert Hoover and Jimmy Carter cruised aboard the 104-foot USS Sequoia , as did presidents Kennedy through Ford, while Truman and Eisenhower enjoyed the Williamsburg .

But the most famous and storied presidential yacht is the USS Potomac , which was a favorite escape for President Franklin D. Roosevelt from 1936 until his death in 1945. Since 1981, the Potomac has been berthed in Oakland, California. In 1995, it opened to the public for tours and excursions on San Francisco Bay.

Top: In 1939, President Roosevelt (at center, holding the arm of a naval officer for support) entertained King George VI of England (to FDR’s right) aboard the Potomac . Also present were Queen Elizabeth and Eleanor Roosevelt (both to the King’s right). (Image by Harris & Ewing, via Wikimedia Commons ) Above: The Potomac at its berth in Oakland, California. (Image by Christopher J. Wood via Wikimedia Commons )

Few know as much about the Potomac ’s history as Les Dropkin, a retired actuary who has been an active volunteer with the nonprofit Potomac Association for more than 20 years. “The ship and I are contemporaries,” Dropkin says. “Growing up, FDR was the only president I knew.”

For people of Dropkin’s generation, the Potomac is a tangible link to Roosevelt, widely considered the greatest U.S. president of the modern era. For many more, the Potomac is a symbol of a time when America was united at home and abroad, weathering the Great Depression and winning World War II , albeit at the expense of Japanese Americans who were incarcerated during the conflict.

Recently, Dropkin explained the history of the Potomac during a guided tour of the vessel, which goes into dry dock later this year for $350,000-worth of Coast Guard-mandated inspections and repairs . “The Potomac started its life as the Electra ,” Dropkin begins, “one of 18 cutters built for the Coast Guard between 1931 and 1934.” When the first of these cutters were launched, Dropkin says, Prohibition was still the law of the land, so the 165-foot-long vessels were used as patrol boats designed to intercept bootleggers, primarily close to shore and on rivers such as the Hudson and Potomac. “By 1934, when the Electra was built,” he continues, “Prohibition had ended, but there was still a lot of smuggling by those who wanted to avoid the taxes on liquor.”

President Franklin Roosevelt aboard the USS Potomac , 1936. (Image via Yachts International )

Ships like the Electra earned their keep by foiling such tax cheats, but the Electra did this virtuous work for only a few months before it was selected, in 1935, to be President Roosevelt’s official yacht. “During the first years of his administration,” Dropkin says, “Roosevelt used a Department of Commerce vessel called the Sequoia as his presidential yacht.” President Hoover had sailed on the Sequoia , too, but only after Roosevelt’s election, during the final months of 1932. Upon taking office, Roosevelt, who enjoyed being on the water more than his predecessor, took to the Sequoia whenever his busy schedule would allow.

Hoover and Roosevelt were not the first presidents to enjoy such treatment. According to Dropkin, the idea of a presidential yacht took shape in the latter part of the 19th century. “As commander-in-chief,” Dropkin says, “a president can board any naval vessel he chooses. But in the 19th century, the idea evolved of perhaps having a naval vessel available for use by high government officials. Gradually, that narrowed to a vessel specifically for the president.”

The Sequoia , though, was not a perfect yacht for a head of state. “The Sequoia was only 104 feet long,” Dropkin explains. That meant the president’s Secret Service detail had to follow behind in a separate ship. At 165 feet in length, the Electra , when converted, would have room for two cabins for the Secret Service.

Roosevelt’s chief of staff, Missy LeHand, conferring with the president aboard the Potomac in 1939. (Image via the National Register of Historic Places )

Fire was another concern. “The Sequoia was a wood-hulled vessel—those in charge of Roosevelt’s safety wanted a ship made out of steel. So the president tasked his naval aide with the mission of finding a replacement vessel. Working with the Navy Department, the aide and his staff found four ships in the government’s fleet that might serve Roosevelt’s purposes. A list was presented to FDR and he selected the Electra , renaming it the Potomac .”

Using an existing Coast Guard cutter made economic sense—the Depression was no time for extravagance, even for a new president. But there was another reason why Roosevelt got the Potomac with its steel hull and room for onboard Secret Service officers. A polio victim since 1921, the 53-year-old president required a wheelchair to get around, so if a fire broke out on the short-staffed Sequoia, Roosevelt’s life would almost certainly be in danger.

Once the ship was selected, work began almost immediately to make the Potomac fit for a president. Some of these changes would have served any commander-in-chief, disabled or not. “From about the midships passageway forward,” Dropkin tells me as we stand on the dock in Oakland’s Jack London Square, “she looks very much as she did when she was a Coast Guard cutter. But from the midships passageway on back, that’s where the real changes occurred, the things that made her into the presidential yacht.”

The Potomac ‘s rear smokestack was converted into an elevator so the wheelchair-bound president could move freely between the ship’s two main decks.

The biggest change was to install a spacious, shaded aft deck, where Roosevelt could work or entertain while enjoying river or ocean breezes. “When the ship was a Coast Guard cutter, this deck did not exist,” Dropkin says, as we walk across its teak surface, “but it was a favorite area of the president.” That’s probably because the seating on the deck was designed with the wheelchair-bound Roosevelt in mind. Dropkin points to an upholstered settee that follows the curve of the ship’s stern. “It’s about 4 feet deep in the middle,” he says, “to support the president’s legs, something for him to stretch out on. You can almost imagine him sitting there, drink in hand.

“Roosevelt was a martini guy,” Dropkin continues. “A good cocktail was very important to him. He had started having cocktail hour when he was governor of New York, and brought the practice with him to the White House. His wife, Eleanor, wasn’t crazy about that, but they were different people.”

Other changes to the Electra that were more particular to Roosevelt included the removal of the floor coamings designed to contain water that might be sloshing on deck. For example, the low barrier was removed between the main dining room and the presidential bedroom, so that Roosevelt could get himself between the two spaces in his wheelchair. Even more dramatic was the conversion of one of the ship’s two smokestacks into an elevator, allowing the president to move freely between to ship’s two main decks. “An elevator was built into what had been the rear smokestack,” Dropkin says. “It’s an electric elevator now, but when the president used it, it was literally just a platform roped to a pulley. He would pull himself up, or let himself down, arm over arm. Roosevelt was very strong, and always wanted to do things for himself.”

In 1964, Elvis Presley, seen here with entertainer Danny Thomas, purchased the Potomac and donated it to Saint Jude’s Hospital, which promptly sold it. (Image via the Potomac Association )

Often the Potomac was treated as a sort of floating White House. In August 1941, it even ferried the president part of the way to a secret meeting with British Prime Minister Winston Churchill prior to the U.S. involvement in World War II. However, Dropkin says the most typical use of the ship by FDR was for weekend fishing cruises. “They’d board at the Washington, D.C., Navy Yard on, say, Saturday morning and sail down the Potomac River into Chesapeake Bay. Then, they’d find a nice cove, anchor, and spend the weekend fishing.”

Along for the ride was what Dropkin characterizes as “a very, very large crew. There were 42 enlisted men, 12 stewards, and three officers,” he says. “If you count up the number of available bunks and divide, you’ll see it doesn’t add up. So they had what are called hot bunks, to put it in naval terms. When one sailor was on duty, another would sleep. Basically, they’d take turns.”

If the Potomac was initially known for its famous, presidential passenger, after FDR’s death, in 1945, it would eventually become infamous. From 1946 until 1960, the ship was used by the Maryland Tidewater Fisheries Commission, and occasionally by that state’s governor. After that, though, it would begin a slow decline. In 1960, the Potomac was sold and pressed into service as a ferry in the Caribbean, until a different entrepreneur got the bright idea of sailing the ship through the Panama Canal to show her off at the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair. The aging vessel got as far as Southern California, where it languished until 1964, when it was purchased by Elvis Presley at an auction. Apparently, The King shelled out the $55,000 hammer price because he didn’t like the idea of seeing FDR’s yacht chopped into pieces for scrap, but never really want to own the Potomac , so he promptly donated the ship to the Saint Jude Hospital of Memphis, which just as promptly sold it to the first in a series of dreamers and schemers.

In 1981, the Potomac sank in 35 feet of water while docked at the Treasure Island Naval Base in San Francisco Bay. (Image by U.S. Customs, via the Potomac Association )

By August of 1980, the Potomac would be towed for repairs to Pier 26 in San Francisco, where, the following month, it was seized by U.S. Customs and the Drug Enforcement Agency. Although drugs were never found aboard the Potomac , a ship owned by the same owner and anchored alongside the Potomac was loaded with contraband. According to Dropkin’s history of this dark moment in the Potomac ’s past, a Southern California drug ring had been using the Potomac ’s good name, and a fake charity called “The Crippled Children’s Society,” as a front. That October, the Potomac was towed again, this time to the nearby Treasure Island Naval Base in San Francisco Bay where, the following March, its hull was punctured by broken pilings, causing it to sink in 35 feet of water.

The story might have ended there, but once the ship was raised and the hole in its hull was patched, the Potomac was purchased in April of 1981 at yet another auction. This time, the new owner was the Port of Oakland, whose winning bid of $15,000 was also the only bid. But the port’s then-executive director, Walter Abernathy, saw the Potomac as an opportunity for the community and historians alike. Shortly after taking possession of the ship, the port authorized “$400,000 in seed money to restore the ship to its appearance during the Roosevelt era and operate it as a historical and educational resource.” By 1983, the Potomac Association had incorporated to manage the ship’s upkeep and programs, and elected FDR’s oldest son, James, as its chairman. Finally, in 1985, a sitting president, Ronald Reagan, got involved, personally recommending a $2.5 million grant for the ship’s restoration. The grant was approved and matched, and in 1990, the Potomac was designated a National Historical Landmark .

For more than two decades, Les Dropkin has been a tireless volunteer for the Potomac Association .

As we walk through the Potomac , Dropkin explains the limits of a restoration project for a vessel that had seen decades of neglect before sinking. “There’s very little that’s original from the FDR era on the ship today,” he says. “Essentially, everything you see is a re-creation.”

In an effort to get the details right, the restorers carefully studied photographs of the ship during its FDR days, from the furniture to the draperies. And because there were records of the ship’s original construction and subsequent retrofit for the president, the Potomac Association was able to replicate its construction techniques. “When the Electra was built as a Coast Guard cutter, it was a riveted ship,” Dropkin says. “But when it was converted to become the presidential yacht, they had started to use welding. In the restoration, we maintained the ratios—what was welded was re-welded, where there had been rivets we used rivets. A very major concern in the restoration was to make it historically accurate to the fullest extent we could.”

Today, such attention to detail, as well as the $350,000 needed to pay for the Potomac ’s upcoming drydocking, might seem like a luxury the country can’t afford in the face of multi-trillion-dollar deficits. But is $350,000 really all that much to honor the memory of one of our nation’s greatest presidents? After all, we are spending about half that amount every single day to protect our current president’s latest wife, who has chosen not to live in the White House with her husband, at least until their 10-year-old son finishes the school year. Naturally, most parents will be sympathetic with that decision, if not the expense. By comparison, $350,000 to help us remember the man who told a fearful nation that the only thing it had to fear was fear itself, and then proceeded to lead the fight against Adolf Hitler, seems like a rather good deal.

( If you would like to help keep FDR’s yacht shipshape, visit the Potomac Association )

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3 comments so far

At the very end of an otherwise entertaining article, Ben just couldn’t resist taking a cheap shot at the very charming and elegant Mrs. Trump.

As Mr. Marks illustrates, Trump Derangement Syndrome is a horrible disease.

Mr. Marks’ comment about federal expenditures is very timely and appropriate. At a time when we are spending about a million dollars a day to cover the new president’s own travel and family security expenses (including three golfing vacations during his first month in office), 8 hours’ worth of that security and travel to help restore the Potomac, a National Historic Landmark, seems well justified. A very nice article.

Mr Dodsworth, the charming and elegant Mrs Trump is costing the city of New York somewhat around $1,ooo,ooo a DAY for police coverage for each day she chooses to reside not in the White House but at Trump Tower. That is over and above the expense for Secret Service coverage for EIGHTEEN Trump family members. Mr Mark’s innocuous comment was hardly a cheap shot, but perhaps you would enjoy some dip for the chip on your shoulder.

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Presidential yacht Sequoia to be restored and displayed on DC waterfront

Jeff Clabaugh | [email protected]

October 8, 2019, 10:14 AM

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The 94-year-old yacht Sequoia, which served as the floating White House for every president from Herbert Hoover to Gerald Ford, is in for a lengthy, full stem-to-stern restoration, and its current owners expect to return it to the D.C. waterfront for the public to enjoy.

After a six-year legal battle over ownership , the USS Sequoia, built in 1925 from mahogany, teak and yellow pine, was barged to the Cambridge, Maryland, Richardson Maritime Museum in September.

Philadelphia-based Wolfe House & Building Movers transported the ship.

It will depart for Belfast, Maine, this week, where it will be restored by boat builders French & Webb .

The trip will take the yacht on a barge up the Chesapeake Bay, around Cape May, past the Statue of Liberty and the Brooklyn Bridge and onto the New England coast.

“Once restored, our intention is to bring Sequoia back to Washington where she will serve as a venue to teach American presidential history and promote ocean conservation causes,” said Michael Cantor, managing partner at D.C.-based Equator Capital Group , which owns the Sequoia.

“In four years, and hopefully sooner, Sequoia will be seaworthy and ready for Americans to once again enjoy the former presidential yacht’s storied past.”

Highlights of the Sequoia’s run as the presidential yacht include President John F. Kennedy’s celebration of his 46th and final birthday on board. President Roosevelt hosted Britain’s prime minister on the Sequoia to discuss the Great Depression.

President Nixon played “God Bless America” on the Sequoia’s piano after deciding to resign over Watergate, and President Lyndon Johnson pressured Congress to pass civil rights legislation while aboard.

Equator Capital’s Equator Collection , which provides funding for preservation of historical maritime assets, also owns Tenovus, a 31-foot yawl built for Joseph P. Kennedy in 1931. Tenovus was named for Kennedy’s then-10-person family.

Jeff Clabaugh has spent 20 years covering the Washington region's economy and financial markets for WTOP as part of a partnership with the Washington Business Journal, and officially joined the WTOP newsroom staff in January 2016.

• @wtopclabaugh

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The Floating White House was originally commissioned as the USCG Cutter Electra in 1934. In 1936, it was renamed the USS Potomac and served as Franklin Delano Roosevelt's Presidential Yacht until his death in 1945.

More than half a million people have visited and sailed aboard the former president's beloved floating white house, the uss potomac, since it opened to the public in the summer of 1995. over a 12-year period, $5 million was spent to restore the 165-foot-long vessel as a memorial to the president who authored the new deal and led the united states during the great depression and the world war ii years. join us aboard this national historic landmark for a cruise on the bay.

Watch the fascinating, colorful history of the USS Potomac.

The USS Potomac Association office and visitor's center are open:

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Phone: (510) 627-1215

Voicemail messages will be responded to on a regular basis by the USS Potomac volunteers.

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There are many ways to support the USS Potomac and help keep history alive, such as one-time donations, volunteering, or becoming a Friend of the USS Potomac.

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Picture your family and friends around you to witness the beginning of your life’s greatest adventure on one of the most beautiful wedding venues in the Bay Area. Have your ceremony dockside or while cruising beautiful San Francisco Bay. For information or to schedule your wedding event, call (510) 627-1215 or email: [email protected].

View pictures and videos of the USS Potomac.

Oakland Restaurant Week returns March 14-24, 2024!

Eat. Drink. Stay. Repeat. From neighborhood gems and food trucks to Michelin star restaurants, explore The Town’s global culinary offerings during the 10 days of Oakland Restaurant Week 2024.

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USS Potomac

• 540 Water St., Foot of Clay St., Oakland, CA 94607
• Neighborhood: Jack London District
• Phone: (510) 627-1215
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Affectionately dubbed the Floating White House by the press, Franklin Delano Roosevelt's presidential yacht is one of the few floating museums in the country. The restored 165-foot vessel, a national historic landmark, is a memorial to FDR and his accomplishments. The Floating White House was originally commissioned the USCG Cutter Electra in 1934.  In 1936 it was renamed the USS Potomac and served as Franklin Delano Roosevelt's Presidential Yacht until his death in 1945. GROUP ACTIVITIES & EXPERIENCES The USS Potomac is available for limited private charter. Consider the USS Potomac all through the year for your special events. Whether it is an anniversary, wedding, reception, promotion, memorial cruises or any other occasion, the Potomac is a truly unique venue for any very special day. Ship Capacity -  Maximum passenger load is 120 people. For events with food and beverage service, 80-90 passengers is recommended. Docking -  The Potomac sails from the foot of Clay Street in Jack London Square, Oakland, CA. Pickups & drop-offs may be available for your event at a San Francisco waterfront location. Fees -  The Potomac is competitively priced with other charter vessels of her size. A minimum three-hour charter cruise on board the USS Potomac starts at $7,000. Each additional hour is $1,000. Dockside charters are available and start at $600 per hour with a 2-hour minimum. Each additional hour is $600. For information on cruises or dockside charters call 510-627-1215 or email [email protected] . The Potomac is NOT available for charter on Mondays and Tuesdays except by special arrangement.

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• Description The USS Potomac, President Roosevelt's floating White House from 1936 to his death in 1945, is a National Historic Landmark. At 165-feet long and weighing over 300 tons, the historic vessel is truly a unique setting for any special event, whether an anniversary, wedding, birthday, reception, retirement party, corporate event, or memorial cruise. The Potomac is available year'round for charters, and the captain, crew and docents work diligently to ensure guests have the best possible experience and successful event. Captains consult with charterer to explore preferred their preferred route in the Bay. Preferred catering list available or charterer may provide th eir own as long as the vendor follows the Potomac's caterer guidelines.
• Reception Capacity 110
• Space Notes Maximum passenger capacity is 110 guests, not including catering servers, crew or docents.
• Number of Rooms 1

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The USS Potomac offers the chance to host an event in a uniquely historical style. Colloquially knows as the “Floating White House”, this incredible vessel was once a US Coast Guard Cutter that was painstakingly converted into a family and business yacht by President Roosevelt while in office. Many distinguished characters over the years have enjoyed excursions on board. The Potomac was even owned in her later years by Elvis Presley.

The Potomac began to decline after FDR’s death. After passing through many hands, including Elvis Presley, she was seized as part of a drug bust. The yacht sank while in Coast Guard custody here in the SF Bay. Sadly normal at the time, the boat was dumped on the East Bay Estuary where she sank into even further disrepair.

The boat was eventually rescued and restored by the Port of Oakland in coordination with private donors including Roosevelt’s son.

The USS Potomac Features:

• Fantail Motor yacht
• Comfortable with 40-90 guests for catered events
• Available for private events Wednesday- Sunday
• Wheelchair accessible  

This yacht is a classic charmer for birthday parties, weddings, corporate off-sites, Oracle Park Giants baseball games and concerts, anniversaries parties, rehearsal dinners, sunset cruises, memorial services , New Year’s Eve, Valentine’s Day, Opening Day on the Bay, Mother’s Day, Fourth of July, Blue Angels ( Fleet Week ), East Bay and Golden Gate Bridge tours.

Please call or email us for more information.

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All the planning for a perfect nautical adventure on the San Francisco Bay is already done for you. Check out our all-inclusive packages, including Angel Island and SF Giants in McCovey Cove.

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An SF Bay sunset cruise is the perfect way to liven up your weekend. It’s an ideal mix of luxury and adventure! Choose an intimate private charter for a San Francisco sunset cruise on the charming, all wood Grand Banks, Cimba . Or get a fun group together and come aboard a classic tall ship like the Schooner Freda B . Another wonderful way to get out on the Bay is always a Public sails !

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USS Potomac: Franklin Roosevelt's Presidential Yacht

• Evan Phifer Research Historian

Many presidents have used ships for both relaxation and diplomacy. From fishing to meetings with foreign dignitaries, water travel provides variety and a momentary change of scenery from life and work in the White House.

From 1936 to 1945, President Franklin D. Roosevelt enjoyed travel aboard the USS Potomac . The ship, originally named the Electra , was built in 1934 as a Coast Guard Cutter and was commissioned by the U.S. Navy in 1936 after refitting and trial runs at Norfolk Navy Yard and in the Chesapeake Bay. 1 Roosevelt desired a historically inspired name for the ship that would not cause confusion between ships already in service. After consulting with Captain Wilson Brown, his naval aide, the president decided on the name Potomac .

This new ship was preferred over the previous presidential yacht, the Sequoia , partly because of security concerns. While the Sequoia was made of wood, the Potomac was made of steel, which made the ship less fire-prone. The larger ship was also able to accommodate more members of the Secret Service protecting the president onboard. 2

The ship was not only used for recreation but also for informal political and diplomatic meetings. To accommodate the president’s need for wheelchair accessibility, a concealed elevator was installed in what had been the rear funnel to carry the president from the main deck to the boat deck.

USS Potomac , ca. 1938

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Roosevelt delivered one radio address from the Potomac . His remarks gave insight into his enjoyment and relaxation while aboard the ship. During a March 29, 1941 address to participants of annual Jackson Day fundraising dinners, he said, “I am sitting in the little cabin of the little ship Potomac, in the harbor of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, after a day of sunshine out in the Gulf Stream . . . I try to get away a couple of times a year on these short trips on salt water. . . Even when I go to Hyde Park or to Warm Springs, the White House office, the callers, and the telephones all follow me. But at sea the radio messages and the occasional pouch of mail reduce official work to not more than two or three hours a day.” 3

During the 1936 presidential campaign, Roosevelt once told his opponent, Kansas Governor Alfred “Alf” Landon, “If you are elected President, I can give you one good piece of advice. Get yourself a boat to go down the Potomac.” 4

While relaxing on board, the president fished, read detective stories, and worked on his stamp collection. On Sundays, a sea plane would often land alongside the ship to deliver newspapers, mail and anything requiring the president's signature. 5 Newspapers occasionally reported on the fishing prowess of the president, with one paper commenting on a 1936 fishing trip that, “when the yacht reached Caicos Island in the Bahamas . . . the Roosevelt luck returned. . . the catch including large kingfish, mackerel, groupers and barracuda.” 6

One of the most well-known prewar uses of the boat occurred during the June 1939 visit of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth of Great Britain. The ship carried the royal couple and President and Mrs. Roosevelt down the Potomac River from Washington, D.C. to nearby Mount Vernon, the former home of George Washington. Newspapers described the ship with the royal standard of the King of England on the foremast and the U.S. presidential flag on the main mast. 7 A 21-gun salute greeted the royal couple as they entered the Navy Yard prior to boarding. Soon after arriving at the first president’s estate, the Potomac was moored to dock where one news reporter noted, “the stifling, windless day had left the river flat and seemingly motionless as the vessel was tied against the wharf.” After a tour of Mount Vernon and a visit to Washington’s tomb, the royal and presidential entourage returned to Washington, D.C. via automobile. 8

The USS Potomac with President Franklin Roosevelt and the King and Queen of Great Britain onboard as the ship travels from Washington to Mount Vernon and back on June 9, 1939.

The ship was also used in August 1941 as part of a stealth operation while President Roosevelt secretly met with British Prime Minister Winston Churchill to draft the Atlantic Charter. 9 Afterwards, President Roosevelt hosted a press conference onboard the Potomac in which he explained the secrecy of the meeting, given the potential threat of a German submarine attack: “Things of that kind cause trouble, if you make known the exact location on the high seas of the President and the Prime Minister.” 10

After the death of President Roosevelt, the Potomac was decommissioned. Under President Harry S. Truman, the Williamsburg , a former World War II gunboat, became the new presidential yacht. 11 Before the Williamsburg became the official presidential yacht in September 1945, Truman and his family enjoyed the Potomac briefly, including one early May 1945 Potomac River excursion. 12

For several decades, the Potomac served a variety of roles for a number of owners. Briefly returned to the Coast Guard, the Potomac resided in Maryland for about a decade. The ship then served as a ferry between Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. The ship was then taken to California with the intention of serving as an attraction at the 1962 Seattle World Fair. This plan failed and it seemed as if the historic ship was destined for the scrap heap.

Music legend Elvis Presley intervened and bought the ship in 1964 with the desire that it be given to the March of Dimes Foundation and preserved as a “national shrine.” Elvis’s manager, Colonel Tom Parker said of Presley’s intentions that “Elvis feels the yacht could be a strong source for donations in memory of the late Presidents Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy.” 13 The foundation, concerned over maintenance cost and the overall mission of their organization declined the offer with regret.

President Franklin Roosevelt enjoys time aboard the Potomac while on the Hudson River in 1937.

After several more owners, the ship sank after being towed to Treasure Island in San Francisco Bay when several pilings pierced her hull. Raised two weeks later, the ship was sold by U.S. Customs to the Port of Oakland. Spearheaded by the Port, the Potomac was preserved and restored during a 14 year collaborate effort by President Roosevelt's son, James, multiple organizations, and many dedicated volunteers.

The Potomac , now a National Historic Landmark, is maintained by the Association for the Preservation of the Presidential Yacht Potomac. It resides today in Oakland, California and has been open to the public since 1995. 14

President Franklin Roosevelt and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt with the King and Queen of Great Britain aboard the Potomac in 1939.

This article was originally published on September 25, 2017

Footnotes & Resources

• “World War II in the San Francisco Bay Area,” National Park Service , https://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/wwiibayarea/pot.HTM. “Presidential Yacht Given Test in Bay,” The Washington Post , March 11, 1936, 28.
• Frederic William Wile, “Washington Observations,” Evening Star , January 17, 1936, 10.
• Franklin D. Roosevelt: "Radio Address from the U.S.S. Potomac for Jackson Day Dinners.," March 29, 1941. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project . http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu... Pearson and Robert S. Allen, “Daily Washington Merry-Go-Round,” Greensboro Daily News , September 16, 1936, 6.”
• “Washington Merry-Go-Round,” Seattle Daily Times , September 17, 1936, 6.
• “F.D.R. Denizens of the Deep?,” The Washington Post , March 29, 1936, B4.
• John G. Norris, “Navy Yard Puts on Best Show Yet for King,” The Washington Post , June 10, 1939, 3.
• Scott Hart, “Card on Tomb of Washington Bears Legend: ‘George R.I.,” The Washington Post , June 10, 1939, 1.
• Lawrence L. Knutson, Away from the White House: Presidential Escapes, Retreats, and Vacations (Washington, D.C.: White House Historical Association, 2014), 237.
• Franklin D. Roosevelt: "Press Conference on the U.S.S Potomac," August 16, 1941. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project . http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu... Will Be Truman’s New Yacht,” The Charleston Evening Post , September 13, 1945, 17.
• “Trumans Spend Day on Yacht on Potomac Cruise,” The Washington Post , May 7, 1945, 7. “Truman Gives Up Ship Potomac for Rebuilt Seagoing Yacht,” The Washington Post , September 14, 1945, 5.
• “Elvis Buys FDR Boat for Dimes Fund Use,” Boston Record American , January 31, 1964, 5.
• "World War II in the San Francisco Bay Area," National Park Service , https://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/...

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Endorsements | Keeping up with the Bezoses: Mark Zuckerberg…

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Endorsements | keeping up with the bezoses: mark zuckerberg buys a super yacht, reports say, a report says that zuckerberg’s luxurious new $300 million vessel was originally was commissioned by a russian oligarch who was the target of sanctions imposed after that country’s invasion of ukraine.

Given that Mark Zuckerberg enjoys a respectable 16th place on a list of the world’s richest people, he probably figured it was time for him to acquire one of the ultimate status symbols for the mega-wealthy — a super yacht.

A new report from The Sun said that Zuckerberg is now the proud owner of a $300 million vessel that he has christened “Launchpad.” The 387-foot-long vessel, which comes with a helipad and a $30 million companion boat, was seen docked this week at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with its unique chrome finish reflecting in the sun.

This purchase shows, among other things, that the Facebook and Meta founder and CEO has branched out from buying islands and building an underground complex to help him survive the apocalypse. Perhaps, he wants to cruise the Mediterranean this summer and be among the moguls who can play host to Leonardo DiCaprio.

The yacht definitely grants him admission to the watery playgrounds of such multibillionaires as Jeff Bezos, Larry Ellison, Bill Gates and any of the Russian oligarchs who haven’t been the target of sanctions imposed by the United States or its allies over Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

In fact, Zuckerberg reportedly came by Launchpad due to the misfortunes of one of those oligarchs. The yacht originally was commissioned to be built by Vladimir Potanin, one of Russia’s richest men who is on multiple sanctions list, according to a report by Autoevolution.com , a transportation industry site. The yacht was known as Project 1010, and the shipbuilder in the Netherlands was legally barred from delivering it to Potanin when it was completed in 2022, though Autoevolution also said that Potanin was not the yacht’s actual owner.

The Sun reported that the yacht recently received “special permission” to be imported. It has since arrived in the United States, a couple months ahead of Zuckerberg’s 40th birthday on May 14 — which raises the question of whether he meant Launchpad as a birthday gift to himself.

It’s quite a gift: Launchpad can comfortably fit 24 guests aboard. It also requires a crew of 48 and is said to cost $30 million a year for upkeep and usage, according to Superyachtfan.com . But shelling out $30 million for maintenance a year shouldn’t be a problem for Zuckerberg, who reportedly earns between $6 million and $12 million a day, The Sun said.

But as spectacular as Launchpad sounds, super yacht fans might say it’s not as spectacular as Jeff Bezos’s super yacht, Koru. The $500 million sailing vessel features very tall masts, a swimming pool, a helipad and room for a second, smaller yacht. The most noteworthy thing about Koru is that Bezos commissioned a special sculpture to decorate its prow. It’s a “curvaceous winged goddess” that is said to bear a striking resemblance to his fiancee Lauren Sanchez.

The Amazon founder, his wife-to-be and the goddess figurehead spent much of last summer sailing around the Mediterranean, cruising from Spain to Croatia and hosting such famous guests as Katy Perry, Orlando Bloom and Usher. The couple also threw a lavish engagement party off the coast of Positano on Italy’s Amalfi coast, attended by another pack of famous friends, including Kris Jenner, Wendi Murdoch and, yes, Leonardo DiCaprio.

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8 official residences of Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin

1. Novo-Ogaryevo in the Moscow Region

Main house of the Novo-Ogaryevo residence.

This is the place Putin calls home.

Located in the western part of the Moscow Region, not far from the capital, this residence is not a state secret, and it pops up in Google maps searches quite readily.

Novo-Ogaryevo became Putin’s official residence in 2000. Although he does not own the estate, he considers it home, which can easily be deduced from the fact that the residence remained in his de-facto possession when he took a four-year-long break from the presidency in 2008-2012, serving as Russia’s prime minister. According to Russian law , a retiring president can choose a residence to be allocated for perpetuity. Leaving office in 2008, Putin chose Novo-Ogaryevo.

Putin in Novo-Ogaryevo.

The estate’s main house was built in the 19th century by order of Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich, the brother of Emperor Alexander III, and was later used as a residence by the Soviet government to welcome foreign delegations.

Unlike the White House, Novo-Ogoryevo is closed to the public. Still, here is an hour-long sneak peek inside. You can even see what’s in Putin’s fridge, 38 minutes and 16 seconds into the video .

2. The Kremlin

The Moscow Kremlin.

Since the Middle Ages, (with the exception of the years 1712 to 1917), the Moscow Kremlin was the main official residence of Russian leaders.

The President’s office is located in the Kremlin Senate, a historic building built by order of Catherine the Great from 1776 to 1787. Originally, it housed the Moscow branches of the Governing Senate.

President Putin's office in the Kremlin.

Putin’s Kremlin office is located in the center of the building’s north wing. Unlike the U.S. presidential office, the Kremlin office is a rectangular shape, and in contrast to the Oval Office , the windows are located on the left side of the president’s table, not behind it. The table also differs in form from the one in the Oval Office: it has an elongated adjustment in front where Russia’s president holds one-on-one meetings with other government officials. The walls of the Kremlin office are inlaid with oak panels, and the ceiling is decorated with an ornamental pattern and has two massive chandeliers.

On the table multiple phones comprise the secure communication system used by Russia’s president.

Also  unlike the U.S. president, who is expected to live in the White House, Putin does not live in the Kremlin. Naturally, he can always drop by his historic office in a helicopter or by   car. 

3. An unknown apartment at an unknown location

This is the only residence that officially belongs to Putin as a private individual.   This 77-square-meter apartment is remarkably modest for Russia’s president. Little is known about how it looks or even the approximate location, and the only bit of information is its size, which tells us it must be a two- or three-bedroom apartment in a residential building somewhere in Russia. Odds are that it’s in St. Petersburg, where Putin grew up.

Putin also owns a garage that measures 18-square meters.

4. A government-leased apartment in Moscow

Akademika Zelinskogo Street, 6.

Putin’s address in Moscow is widely publicized in the media: Akademika Zelinskogo Street, 6. The apartment is 153.7 square meters, and it was allocated to Putin in his capacity as Prime Minister under Boris Yeltsin in the late 1990s.

Although it’s not known what floor the apartment is on, we have a couple of photos taken inside the modest apartment.

5. Bocharov Ruchey in Sochi

Bocharov Ruchey residence in Sochi, Russia.

In addition to his main residence, Putin has a number of residences throughout Russia. One of the most widely publicized is Bocharov Ruchey in Sochi.

Completed in 1955, it was commissioned by Kliment Voroshilov, a Soviet marshall and strongman under Joseph Stalin. This government dacha was frequented by Soviet leaders such as Khrushchev and Brezhnev. In modern Russia, Bocharov Ruchey became an official summer residence of Russia’s president, and it’s the only government dacha on the Black Sea.

Vladimir Putin and Dmitri Medvedev in Bocharov Ruchey residence in Sochi.

Here, Putin met U.S. President George W. Bush in 2008, and in 2018 he welcomed Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel with flowers .

6. Valdai residence

The Valdai residence was initially planned as one of Stalin’s dachas, but he thought it too dangerous.

Another official residence is located in the Novgorod Region, and goes by three different names: Valdai, Uzhyn, and Dolgie Borody.

The residence was initially planned as one of Stalin’s dachas, but he thought  it too dangerous: in the 1930s the residence was the only building on a small peninsula and was surrounded by dense forest, with only one escape route to the mainland.

Vladimir Putin and Silvio Berlusconi at President Putin's Valdai residence in Russia.

Nevertheless, the Valdai residence was completed in the 1980s. The first president of Russia, Boris Yeltsin, liked fishing here. When Putin inherited the highest office, he also received the right to use the Valdai residence.

Surprisingly, you can check in and spend a couple of nights in one of the houses, but not in the actual president’s residence. It will only cost some $800 (50,000 rubles) for a stay of two nights.

7. Konstantin Palace in St. Petersburg

This palace, formerly owned by the Romanov family, is located on the Gulf of Finland, only 20 kilometers from the center of St. Petersburg.

Initially planned by Peter the Great as an imperial residence that would eclipse Versaille in its glory Grand Duke Konstantin Pavlovich of Russia resided here.

In Soviet times, the estate became known as the Congress Palace, and was severely damaged during World War II. Also, it hosted students of the Leningrad Arctic School, but slowly decayed after the collapse of the USSR until the early 2000s when the Office of the President launched a massive restoration.

Although Putin does not live here, the palace is often used for official state events. The Konstantin Palace served as a venue for both the G-8 and G-20 summits in 2006 and 2013, respectively.

8. Yantar’ in Kaliningrad

This presidential residence in Kaliningrad was built in the same place where the first Chancellor of the German Empire, Otto von Bismarck, had his palace.

During the War, the place hosted the Luftwaffe barracks. The current state residence was only completed in 2011 and opened by then-President Dmitri Medvedev. 

Although the residence officially belongs to the Office of the President, it has only hosted Medvedev and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergei Lavrov.

Click here to learn how much does the Russian President earn.

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Restaurant-Yacht Chaika

Ratings and reviews, location and contact.

Pleasantly surprised, service is good so is the food. Great selection of Fusion food, a mixture of Italian, Japanese, European, Asian etc. A pleasantly nice dining experience, highly recommended, a must try!

Thank you for your feedback and invite you to have lunch or dinner again aboard the ship in an atmosphere of high standards of yacht hospitality.

everything was perfect - the food, the service, the desserts were the best, nice atmosphere and the location - magical

Best food, best view in Moscow. absolutely faultless from arrival to finish. Best risotto i had for many years absolutely perfectly cooked. The view on Ukrainian hotel and the white house by night is amazing

Had to wait for the food for 1.5 hours and then another 20 minutes for the check. Finally called for the manager and he offered... a 10% discount as a compensation. Simply pathetic! The food is mediocre at best. Not bad per se, but one... would expect something better considering the prices. There are many places to eat in area that are much better. Avoid this one at all costs. More

Hello, Alexander Your comment is extremely important for us, thank you a lot for it. We are terribly sorry for your time that you`ve spent waiting your order and we have already taken actions to improve quality of our service and it would be realy... More

Food is very expensive,very pretentious, doesn't worth that money. Portions are very small. We ordered ravioli and there were 4! Four raviolis! For almost 15 euros. Then we asked to bring us dessert menu but nothing, they didn't even bothered, so we payed and left... without dessert. Very poor service for that price. More

This is a very good restaurant. The food is really good, maybe the best in Moscow. The service is also good. The view from the restaurant is great. The prices are very high.

I often visit this restaurant and must say it’s one of the best in Moscow in terms of quality and service. Staff really try hard to make sure that you are happy and satisfied. Customer service is a huge problem in Moscow but Chaika sets... a great example for others in the industry! Food is delicious and the menu has lots of options for everyone! Atmosphere is great and view is beautiful on the embankment. Special thanks to German & Oleg! More

Thank you for your feedback! Again aboard the yacht restaurant "Chaika" in accordance with the high standards of yacht hospitality.

Highly recommended, great location in the city center of Moscow with a superb atmosphere. Too many menu choices, though all delicious!

Thx a lot for your review! We are looking forward to see you in our restaurants.

Visited this lovely restaurant with a friend of mine. It was relaxingly warm August evening - so the place on the river seemed like a good idea. We came quite early and the restaurant was not full. The hostesses kindly offered several places to sit... and we chose to sit on the sofas. We had some wine, which was good. We struggled a bit when deciding about the food as few options (scallops) were not available. Fish on ice on display did not look very fresh. To be honest it was an unusually hot August and it is probably understandable that some see food options were not available. However, we did manage to order something and sat waiting and looking onto the river. My long-legged friend struggled sitting at the low sofa and the manager noticed that, offering as a very good, proper table beside the open window. It was nice touch and I was very pleased by their polite observations and immediate reaction to solve the problem. Food was quite good and presentation was perfect. Perhaps I can something about the food, but 1 visit is not enough to criticize or make a definitive opinion. Overall, quality place, which of course, does not come cheap. I would recommend this restaurant without hesitation. More

Good afternoon! Thank you for your detailed feedback! We are looking forward to seeing you again, we are sure that you will be delighted with our dishes!

I've been here several times during two business trip in Moscow. The overall quality for both service and food is absolutely top-notch, plus the location is very unique.

Hello! Thank you for your feedback! We are looking forward to visiting again!

Located on a boat at Krasnopresenskaya River Bank this 5 Star Restaurant transforms into a party location due to multiple groups hosting events. Impressive wine selection, Asian and European kitchen...

Thx a lot! We are waiting for you!

It is a nice place to gather specially at the lounge The service and staff very good I like the river view The food is almost like all restaurants in Russia they serve different cuisine. Staring Russian appetizer till Asian dishes Presentation and taste amazing... I consider it overpriced little bit More

Good location. Nice views. Good choice of food and drinks. European and Asian menu. Nice service. Pricey enough.

Had a large group dinner here. Food was above average and service quite good. The real attraction is the view of Moscow from the river on a nice night. Great place for a larger group dinner. More

Hello, John We are really pleased by reading that you and your friends were satisfied by our service, client`s experience is the highest value for us. We will be happy to see you again, come and enjoy some new dishes from our chef and nice... More

The luxurious atmosphere of this place, the view and the location make it quite outstanding. We had dinner here with friends and the dishes were amazing, accompanied by a chilled bottle of Chablis, it really made me feel as if it was a part of... the classic Russian movie. More

RESTAURANT-YACHT CHAIKA, Moscow - Presnensky - Menu, Prices & Restaurant Reviews - Tripadvisor

• Service: 4.5
• Atmosphere: 4.5

Moscow concert attack: More than 60 reported dead; ISIS claims responsibility

This live blog has ended. For the most recent updates, please click here .

What we know about the Moscow concert attack

• Men in camouflage broke into a Moscow concert hall and opened fire, shooting an unknown number of people, Russia’s prosecutor general said.
• The terror group ISIS has claimed responsibility but did not provide proof of the claim, which was made on ISIS-affiliated news agency Amaq on Telegram.
• Russia's Investigative Committee said that more than 60 people are dead after the attack at Crocus City Hall. Officials have said more than 100 others were injured.
• A fire also started inside Crocus City Hall, a large concert venue northwest of central Moscow. Firefighters have evacuated about 100 people from the basement of the building and efforts are underway to rescue people from the roof, Russian emergency officials said.
• Russia officials said they were investigating the attack as a terrorist act.
• A popular rock band was scheduled to play what appeared to be a sold-out show at the venue, which has a maximum capacity of more than 9,000 people.

Three children among those killed, state media reports

Chantal Da Silva

Three children were among the more than 60 people killed in yesterday's attack at Crocus City Hall, Russian news agency RIA Novosti reported, citing the Russian Ministry of Health.

Officials have warned that the death toll connected to the deadly incident may increase as the investigation continues.

Xi sends condolences to Putin

Chinese President Xi Jinping sent condolences to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday after a deadly shooting at a concert hall near Moscow, saying China opposes all forms of terrorism and strongly condemns terrorist attacks.

China firmly supports the Russian government’s efforts to maintain national security and stability, Xi said, according to CCTV state television. 

Moscow bloodshed comes two decades after some of worst attacks in Russia

Phil Helsel

The shooting attacks in Moscow are the latest in a series of deadly terror attacks in the country since the 2000s.

In 2004, militants from Chechnya and elsewhere took hostages at a school in Beslan in southern Russia.

The militants demanded a withdrawal from Chechnya. Hostages were kept in a gymnasium, and 334 died — half of them children — when gunfire and explosions erupted when it was stormed. Hostages’ families were critical of the rescue operation. Russian prosecutors later cleared authorities .

Two years prior, in 2002, Chechen separatists attacked the Dubrovka Theater in Moscow and took more than 700 people hostage. Russian forces used gas, and 129 hostages died. The attackers were killed.

More recently, in 2017 a suicide bomber from Kyrgyzstan killed 15 people as well as himself in an attack on a St. Petersburg subway. In 2013, two bombers killed a combined 34 people in attacks on a railway station and a trolleybus in Volgograd.

The group Islamic State, also known as ISIS, claimed responsibility for the attacks Friday at the Crocus City Hall venue.

Putin wishes victims well, deputy prime minister says

President Vladimir Putin is thinking of those injured in today’s attack and thanked doctors, a Russian government official said according to state media.

State media TASS reported that “Putin wished all those injured in the emergency at Crocus City Hall to recover and conveyed his gratitude to the doctors, Golikova said,” referring to Tatiana Golikova deputy prime minister for social policy, labor, health and pension provision.

More than 60 dead, and death toll could grow, Russian agency says

Russia’s Investigative Committee said Saturday that more than 60 people have died in the attack, and warned the number may increase.

“The bodies of the dead are being examined. It has been previously established that more than 60 people died as a result of the terrorist attack. Unfortunately, the number of victims may increase,” according to the Investigative Committee, which is a federal state agency.

Russia's Ministry of Internal Affairs and the security agency FSB are continuing to investigate, the committee said in a statement, and weapons and ammunition have been found.

U.S. warned Russia about planned terrorist attack in Moscow, NSC says

Monica Alba

The United States shared information about a potential terrorist attack in Moscow with Russia’s government earlier this month, a spokesperson for the National Security Council said.

The U.S. Embassy in Russia on March 7 warned U.S. citizens to avoid crowds and said it was monitoring reports that extremists might attack large gatherings in Moscow.

“Earlier this month, the U.S. Government had information about a planned terrorist attack in Moscow — potentially targeting large gatherings, to include concerts — which prompted the State Department to issue a public advisory to Americans in Russia,” NSC spokesperson Adrienne Watson said.

“The U.S. Government also shared this information with Russian authorities in accordance with its longstanding ‘duty to warn’ policy,” Watson said.

Putin recently dismissed ‘provocative’ warning about potential attacks

In remarks that aired three days ago, Russian President Vladimir Putin accused the West of “provocative statements” about potential terror attacks in Russia, and dismissed them.

“I’ll remind you of recent, let’s say directly, provocative statements of certain official Western structures about potential terror attacks in Russia,” Putin said.

“All of this looks like obvious blackmail and an attempt to intimidate, destabilize our country,” he said before the state security agency FSB.

Putin in those remarks did not specify a country or warning. The U.S. embassy in Russia on March 7 warned U.S. citizens to avoid crowds .

“The Embassy is monitoring reports that extremists have imminent plans to target large gatherings in Moscow, to include concerts, and U.S. citizens should be advised to avoid large gatherings over the next 48 hours,” the U.S. embassy warned.

Guards at concert hall didn't have guns, state news says

The Associated Press

Guards at the concert hall didn’t have guns, and some could have been killed at the start of the attack, Russian media reported.

Some Russian news outlets suggested the assailants fled before special forces and riot police arrived.

Reports said police patrols were looking for several vehicles the attackers could have used to escape.

U.S. had been gathering intelligence that ISIS could attack Russia

Ken Dilanian

The U.S. had been gathering intelligence for months that ISIS could mount a mass casualty attack in Russia, two U.S. officials confirmed to NBC News.

That information led to a March 7 warning issued by the U.S. embassy in Russia about possible extremist attacks, including at concerts, urging people to stay away from large gatherings, one of the officials said.

That official said the claim of responsibility today by ISIS appears to be genuine, though no final assessment had been made about who was responsible.

Some Moscow concertgoers filmed events as they unfolded Friday night, when gunmen opened fire inside a theater and people ran to take cover in fear for their lives.

Witness says gunfire was first thought to be construction noise

A witness to today’s armed attack on Moscow’s Crocus City Hall told a state news agency that they first mistook the gunfire for sounds of an installation being dismantled.

“First, we started hearing typical loud pops, but it was impossible to understand that they were gunshots. We thought that something was falling, as exhibitions were being dismantled at that moment, and someone seemed to be dropping something large,” Mikhail Semyonov told TASS .

“Then, the bangs were getting more and more frequent. Suddenly, there was a scream, and the bangs started to be heard as bursts. Then it became clear that it was shooting,” he said.

ISIS claims responsibility for attack but does not provide proof

The terror group Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attack in Moscow.

The group, also known as ISIS, did not provide any proof of its claim, which came from ISIS-affiliated news agency Amaq on Telegram.

The group’s members have carried out a number of terror attacks, including the 2015 attacks in Paris that killed 130 people.

Children among the victims, Russia's children commissioner says

Yuliya Talmazan

Russia’s commissioner for children’s rights, Maria Lvova-Belova, said children were among the victims of tonight's attack.

"Information about their condition is regularly updated," Lvova-Belova said on Telegram. "Any additional assistance will be provided immediately."

She later told Russia 24 TV channel that at least two children had been injured, including one boy with a gunshot wound.

Earlier, Russian officials released a preliminary casualty toll of at least 40 people dead and more than 100 injured.

France, U.K., Germany condemn attack

Officials from France, the U.K. and Germany were among those who expressed their condolences to the victims of the attack at the Crocus concert hall.

"The images of the terrible attack on innocent people in Crocus City Hall near #Moscow are horrific," Germany's Foreign Office said on X . "The background must be investigated quickly. Our deepest condolences with the families of the victims."

"We condemn the terrorist attack in the Crocus City Hall near Moscow," the U.K.'s embassy in Russia said . "This is a terrible tragedy."

Meanwhile, France's foreign ministry called for "full light" to be shed on "these heinous acts."

Public events across Russia called off after attack

Several regional leaders across Russia, including in the annexed Kherson region of Ukraine, have canceled public events this weekend over security considerations after the deadly concert attack in Moscow.

Shortly after the attack, Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin canceled all sports, cultural and other public events in Moscow this weekend. State news agency TASS also quoted Russia's cultural ministry as saying that mass and entertainment events in federal cultural institutions have been canceled in the coming days.

Zelenskyy adviser speaks out about attack

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s adviser denied that Ukraine was involved in the deadly Crocus concert hall attack.

“Ukraine certainly has nothing to do with the shooting/explosions in the Crocus City Hall (Moscow Region, Russia),” Mykhailo Podolyak wrote on X. “It makes no sense whatsoever.”

No evidence has emerged to suggest Ukraine may have been involved, but Ukrainian officials may be trying to pre-empt accusations, as some Kremlin hawks have already started pointing at Kyiv. 

Asked whether the shooting was at all tied to the war in Ukraine, U.S. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said: “There is no indication at this time that Ukraine, or Ukrainians, were involved in the shooting, but again, this just broke. We’re taking a look at it, but I would disabuse you at this early hour have any connection to Ukraine.”

Videos posted to social media appear to show chaos inside Moscow's Crocus City Hall during and after a terrorist attack.

Some videos include what sound like gunshots and show men with rifles, as concertgoers frantically try to exit the venue.

State Department issues warning to Americans in Moscow

Jason Abbruzzese

The State Department said that the U.S. Embassy in Moscow is aware of the terrorist attack on Crocus City Hall and that U.S. citizens should avoid the area and follow the instructions of local authorities.

"The U.S. government’s ability to provide routine or emergency services to U.S. citizens in Russia is severely limited, particularly in areas far from the U.S. embassy in Moscow, due to Russian government limitations on travel for U.S. embassy personnel and staffing, and the ongoing suspension of operations, including consular services, at U.S. consulates in Russia," the State Department said in a message posted to its website .

'What a nightmare in Crocus,' Widow of opposition leader Alexei Navalny condolences about concert attack

Yulia Navalnaya, the widow of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny who died in prison last month, expressed her condolences about the attack Friday.

"What a nightmare in Crocus," Navalnaya wrote on X. "Condolences to the families of the victims and quick recovery to the injured. Everyone involved in this crime must be found and held accountable."

320 firefighters, 3 helicopters working to put out fire

Russia's Ministry of Emergency Situations said the number of rescue crews responding to the attack is growing and now includes more than 320 firefighters, 130 emergency vehicles and three helicopters dumping water on the burning concert venue.

Moscow regional governor says 40 dead, more than 100 injured

Moscow Regional Governor Andrei Vorobyov said on Telegram that at least 40 people are dead and more than 100 injured in the terrorist attack, confirming figures previously reported by Russian state news.

Putin informed about concert venue attack 'in the first minutes,' Kremlin spokesperson says

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said President Vladimir Putin was informed about the shooting at the Crocus concert hall "in the first minutes" of the attack, Russian state news agency RIA reported.

The president is receiving information about what is happening and the measures being taken through all relevant services and is giving necessary instructions, Peskov said according to RIA.

Russian journalist was inside concert venue when gunmen entered

Russian news agency RIA Novosti said on Telegram that one of its reporters was inside the venue when gunmen entered and began shooting concertgoers.

The journalist said that at least three unmasked gunmen in camouflage entered the hall a few minutes before 8 p.m. Moscow time. They shot people point-blank and threw incendiary bombs, according to the journalist.

Roof of concert hall partially collapsing, TASS reports

The roof of the concert hall is partially collapsing, Russian state news agency Tass reported.

A TASS correspondent reporting from the scene in Moscow said the fire on the roof is still raging but that the structure is beginning to collapse in some places. The glass facade of the building is also reported to be crumbling.

It's unclear if there are still people inside the building.

Russia's foreign ministry spokesperson calls incident 'bloody terrorist attack'

Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for Russia's foreign ministry, called the Friday night incident at the Crocus City Hall in Moscow a "bloody terrorist attack" as she called for "strong condemnation" from the international community.

"Now, as the Russian authorities have stated, all efforts are being devoted to saving people," Zakharova said. "The entire world community is obliged to condemn this monstrous crime!"

U.S. national security spokesperson says embassy has told Americans to avoid large gatherings in Moscow

Kyla Guilfoil

National Security Council Spokesman John Kirby addressed the attack in Moscow at a White House press briefing Friday afternoon, calling it a “terrible, terrible shooting attack.”

“The images are just horrible and just hard to watch and our thoughts obviously are going to be with the the victims,” Kirby said.

Kirby added that the U.S. embassy has notified all Americans in Moscow to avoid large gatherings, concerts, shopping malls, etc., and “stay put where they are” for their safety.

Russian media says 40 dead, more than 100 injured at concert attack

TASS, Russia's state-owned news agency, and RIA Novosti are reporting that Russia's FSB security agency has put the preliminary casualty count at 40 dead and more than 100 injured by a terrorist attack on a Moscow-area concert venue.

NBC News has not confirmed those casualty numbers.

Roof of concert venue at risk of collapse, Russian media says

Russian news agency RIA Novosti said on Telegram that the roof of the building near the concert venue's stage has begun to collapse.

Video posted to Telegram by RIA Novosti showed fire continue to blaze inside the venue.

Moscow area governor says more than 70 ambluances at scene of attack

Andrei Vorobyov, Moscow's regional governor, said on Telegram that more than 70 ambulances have been dispatched to the scene of concert venue attack.

“Everything is being done at the scene to save people," he wrote in the Telegram message. "The Special Rapid Response Unit (SOBR) has been deployed. There are over 70 ambulance carriages near Crocus, doctors provide the necessary assistance to all victims."

Russian media says fire is growing, efforts to extinguish it include helicopters

Russian news agency RIA Novosti said on Telegram that the fire at the concert venue is getting stronger. Russia’s emergency officials are using two helicopters to dump water on it.

Nigel Chiwaya

Russia’s prosecutor general office says number of victims still being determined

Russia's prosecutor general said on Telegram that officials are working to determine how many people have been killed or hurt in the concert attack.

“On behalf of Igor Krasnov, the prosecutor of the Moscow region has gone to the scene of the incident at Crocus City Hall to coordinate the actions of law enforcement agencies," the prosecutor general's Telegram account posted. "Tonight, before the start of the event in the concert hall in Krasnogorsk, unknown men in camouflage clothes broke into the building and started shooting."

"The number of victims is being determined, a fire started in the entertainment center building, and citizens are being evacuated."

Moscow's mayor cancels weekend events

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on Telegram that he was canceling all public events in Moscow this weekend.

"I have taken the decision to cancel all sports, cultural and other public events in Moscow this weekend," he said. "I ask of you to treat this measure with understanding."

Popular rock band was to play sold-out venue that can hold 9,500

Tim Stelloh

A popular rock band was scheduled to play what appeared to be a sold-out show at the Moscow concert hall where there were reports of gunmen in combat fatigues opening fire.

Picnic, formed in 1978, was to play at Crocus City Hall, west of central Moscow.

The multilevel facility in Krasnogorsk has a maximum capacity of 9,527 people. Booking sites show the event was sold out.

Russian media says victims have been admitted to hospitals

Russian news agency TASS reported that the country's ministry of health has said that multiple people have been admitted to hospitals after the attack on a Moscow-area music venue.

Russia's aviation agency says additional security added to Moscow airports

The Russian aviation agency Rosaviatsiya said that additional security measures are being introduced in Moscow airports

"Due to increased security measures, we ask passengers to arrive at Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo, Vnukovo and Zhukovsky airports in advance," the agency said on the Telegram messaging app.

Moscow's emergency ministry says it is working to extinguish fire

Moscow’s emegency ministry said it was working to extinguish a fire that began at the music venue.

The ministry said about 100 people were evacuated from the building, and it was working to rescue people from the roof.

Russian media says state security taking action

Russia's news outlet RIA Novosti said that the country's security agency, the FSB, is taking measures to respond to the shooting at a concert hall near Moscow.

Videos posted by Russian media show men with rifles moving through area

Extended rounds of gunfire could be heard on multiple videos posted by Russian media and Telegram channels. One showed two men with rifles moving through a concert hall. Another one showed a man inside the auditorium, saying the assailants set it on fire, with incessant gunshots ringing out in the background.

Andrei Vorobyov, the governor of the Moscow region, said he was heading to the area and set up a task force to deal with the damage. He didn’t immediately offer any further details.

Russian media reports said that riot police units were being sent to the area as people were being evacuated.

Russian news outlets report gunman opened fire at Moscow concert hall

Several gunmen in combat fatigues burst into a big concert hall in Moscow on Friday and fired automatic weapons at the crowd, injuring an unspecified number of people, Russian media said.

Russian news reports said that the assailants also used explosives, causing a massive blaze at the Crocus City Hall on the western edge of Moscow. Video posted on social media showed huge plumes of black smoke rising over the building.

Russia’s state RIA Novosti news agency reported that at least three people in combat fatigues fired weapons. The state Tass news agency also reported the shooting.

U.S. warned of imminent Moscow attack by ‘extremists,’ urges citizens to avoid crowds

Patrick Smith

U.S. citizens in  Moscow  had been warned to avoid large gatherings earlier this month because of heightened fears of a terrorist attack.

The U.S. Embassy in the Russian capital said it was “monitoring reports that extremists have imminent plans to target large gatherings in Moscow, to include concerts, and U.S. citizens should be advised to avoid large gatherings over the next 48 hours.”

U.S. citizens should avoid crowds, monitor local media for updates and “be aware of your surroundings,” it said in a brief  online update .

Read the full story here.

Pope sends prayers to Moscow victims of 'cowardly' attack

Pope Francis on Sunday sent prayers to the victims of the concert hall attack in Moscow, calling the violence "inhuman acts" that offended God. "I assure my prayers for the victims of the cowardly terrorist attack carried out the other evening in Moscow," said the 87-year-old pope, following a Palm Sunday mass in Saint Peter's Square. "May the Lord welcome them in his peace and comfort their families, and convert the hearts of those... who organise and carry out these inhuman actions which offend God, who commanded 'Thou shalt not kill'."

Tajik president tells Putin: 'terrorists have no nationality'

The president of Tajikistan on Sunday condemned the Moscow concert hall attack in a call with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, amid allegations the gunmen were Tajik citizens. Russian media, including Telegram channels with links to the security services, and a lawmaker have alleged that the four suspected assailants were Tajiks. Russian authorities have said only that four suspects arrested after Friday's attack were foreign nationals and Tajikistan has rejected the initial claims its citizens were involved. "Terrorists have no nationality, no homeland and no religion," President Emomali Rahmon told Putin in a phone call, the Tajikistan president's office said in a statement on Sunday.

Pope condemns Moscow attack as "vile" action that offends god

Congress condemns terror attack in Moscow

The Congress on Saturday condemned the "dastardly" terror attack in Moscow and said "we strongly stand shoulder to shoulder with the people of Russia". Assailants burst into a large concert hall in Moscow on Friday and sprayed the crowd with gunfire, killing at least 115 people, according to media reports.In a post on X, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge said, "The Indian National Congress strongly condemns the dastardly terrorist attack on innocent people in Moscow. Terrorism is the biggest threat to humanity and peace." (PTI)

Moscow terror attack: UAE lights up iconic landmarks in colours of Russian flag

The UAE has bathed its iconic landmarks in the colours of the Russian flag on the evening of March 23rd, 2024, in solidarity with the victims of the horrific terrorist attack that struck a concert hall in Moscow yesterday.

Russian concert hall owner vows rebuilding after tragic shooting and fire

The owner of the Russian concert hall, which was destroyed in a tragic mass shooting and fire claiming 133 lives, has vowed to rebuild the venue.Following the attack at Crocus City Hall near Moscow, only charred iron beams and seat frames remained. The hall, constructed in 2009 by billionaire Aras Agalarov's Crocus Group, has a seating capacity of over 6,000 and forms part of a larger complex on the city's outskirts.

As Russia mourns concert hall attack, some families are still wondering if their members are alive

Family and friends of those still missing after an attack that killed over 130 people at a suburban Moscow concert hall waited for news of their loved ones as Russia observed a day of national mourning on Sunday. Events at cultural institutions were cancelled, flags were lowered, and TV entertainment and ads were suspended, according to state news agency RIA Novosti. A steady stream of people brought flowers to a makeshift memorial near the burnt-out concert hall. The attack, which has been claimed by an affiliate of the Islamic State, is the deadliest on Russian soil in years. (AP)

Russia mourns victims of deadly concert hall attack

Russia lowered flags to half-mast on Sunday for a day of mourning after scores of people were gunned down with automatic weapons at a rock concert outside Moscow in the deadliest attack inside Russia for two decades. President Vladimir Putin declared a national day of mourning after pledging to track down and punish all those behind the attack, which left 133 people dead, including three children, and more than 150 were injured. "I express my deep, sincere condolences to all those who lost their loved ones," Putin said in an address to the nation on Saturday, his first public comments on the attack. "The whole country and our entire people are grieving with you." (Reuters)

India: Russian embassy opens online book for people to post condolence messages to kin of dead in Moscow terror attack

As the nation mourned the dead and struggled to come to terms with the terror attack at Crocus City Hall near Moscow, the Russian embassy in India, on Sunday, opened an online book of condolence for people who wish to offer condolences to the families of the victims.

"ISIS bears sole responsibility for this attack. There was no Ukrainian involvement whatsoever," US National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson said in a statement

The US shared information with Russia in early March about a planned terrorist attack in Moscow and issued a public warning to Americans in Russia, Watson said. Putin said authorities detained a total of 11 people in the attack, which also wounded more than 100. He called it "a bloody, barbaric terrorist act" and said Russian authorities captured the four suspects as they were trying to escape to Ukraine through a "window" prepared for them on the Ukrainian side of the border. (AP)

Putin says gunmen who raided Moscow concert hall tried to escape to Ukraine. Kyiv denies involvement

The suburban Moscow music hall where gunmen opened fire on concertgoers was a blackened, smoldering ruin Saturday as the death toll in the attack surpassed 130 and Russian authorities arrested four suspects. President Vladimir Putin claimed they were captured while fleeing to Ukraine. Kyiv strongly denied any involvement in Friday's assault on the Crocus City Hall music venue in Krasnogorsk, and the Islamic State group's Afghanistan affiliate claimed responsibility. (AP)

National day of mourning in Russia after concert hall massacre

Russia will observe a national day of mourning on Sunday after a massacre in a Moscow concert hall that killed more than 130 people, the deadliest attack in Europe to have been claimed by the Islamic State (IS) group. Russian President Vladimir Putin has vowed to punish those behind the "barbaric terrorist attack", saying four gunmen trying to flee to Ukraine had been arrested.

Putin’s Ukraine plan at heart of response to Moscow attack

President Vladimir Putin told Russians in a televised address Saturday that the security services had captured four suspects who were trying to flee to Ukraine. While he didn’t accuse Ukrainian authorities of involvement in the attack at the Crocus City Hall on the edge of Moscow late Friday, Putin said a “window” had been prepared for the men to cross the border, without offering evidence.

Russia names 29 of the 133 Moscow attack victims

Russia's emergency situations ministry on Saturday published a list of 29 people identified out of 133 killed in the attack on a Moscow concert hall. Rescue workers are still combing through the debris of the concert hall, set on fire by the gunmen Friday night after they shot audience members. The building was burned out and has partially collapsed, making it hard to identify remains. (AFP)

White House says IS group 'common terrorist enemy' after Moscow attack

The White House on Saturday said the Islamic State group is a "common terrorist enemy" as it condemned the attack on a Moscow concert hall a day earlier that left more than 130 dead."The United States strongly condemns the heinous terrorist attack in Moscow," White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement, adding that "ISIS is a common terrorist enemy that must be defeated everywhere."

Putin wants to blame Ukraine for Moscow attack: Zelenskyy

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday accused Russia's Vladimir Putin of seeking to "shift the blame" onto Kyiv for the Moscow concert hall attack that killed at least 133 people. "What happened yesterday in Moscow is obvious: Putin and the other scum are just trying to blame it on someone else," Zelensky said, after Putin said the suspects had been fleeing towards Ukraine.

Security experts say Islamic State claim for Russian concert attack is credible

A claim of responsibility by Islamic State for a massacre of Russian concertgoers near Moscow appears to be plausible and fits with a pattern of previous marauding attacks by Islamist militants, security analysts said on Saturday.

Blinken condemns 'heinous' Moscow attack, terrorism 'in all its forms'

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Saturday denounced the deadly Moscow attack as a "heinous crime" and said Washington condemns terrorism in all its forms. "We condemn terrorism in all its forms and stand in solidarity with the people of Russia in grieving the loss of life from this horrific event," Blinken said in a statement. Earlier, the the White House had called the attack in a Moscow suburb that killed 133 people "terrible" and offered condolences.

EU President, German Chancellor condemn terrorist attack in Russia, offer condolences to families of victims

European Union President Ursula von der Leyen on Saturday condemned the terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall in Moscow which claimed the lives of over 100 people and left others wounded. EU President strongly condemned the incident and expressed her condolences to the victims and their families. Additionally, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz also condemned the ISIS-claimed terrorist attack. He said his thoughts are with the victims' families and all those injured. "We condemn the terrible terrorist attack on innocent concertgoers in Moscow. Our thoughts are with the families of the victims and all those injured," Chancellor Scholz posted on X.

Moscow concert attackers are not Russian citizens: Russian interior ministry

IS group says four fighters carried out Moscow attack

The Islamic State (IS) jihadist group said Saturday four of its militants carried out an attack on a concert hall in a Moscow suburb that Russian authorities said killed at least 133 people. "The attack was carried out by four IS fighters armed with machine guns, a pistol, knives and firebombs," IS said on one of its Telegram channels. The militant group said its fighters killed "dozens of Christians" as part of its "raging war" with countries it said were fighting Islam.

Russia says it has arrested 11 people including four suspected gunmen in connection with a shooting rampage that killed 143 people in a concert hall near Moscow, reports Reuters

Russia's top state investigative agency says the death toll in the Moscow concert hall attack has risen to 133

Islamic State releases photo of alleged attackers behind Russia shooting

Islamic State released a photo on Saturday of what it said were the four attackers behind a shooting rampage that killed at least 143 people in a concert hall near Moscow, the militant group's Amaq news agency said in a statement on Telegram.

It is already obvious that we are faced not just with a carefully and cynically planned terrorist attack, but with the organised mass murder of peaceful defenceless people. The criminals were cold-blooded and purposefully going to kill, shoot our citizens at point-blank range - our children. Like the Nazis who once carried out massacres in the occupied territories, they planned to arrange a demonstrative execution, a bloody act of intimidation. All the perpetrators, organisers and those who ordered this crime will be justly and inevitably punished. Whoever they are, whoever is guiding them. I repeat, we will identify and punish everyone who stands behind the terrorists, who prepared this atrocity, this strike against Russia, against our people.

Russian President Vladimir Putin

Vladimir Putin says additional security measures imposed across Russia, suggests Ukraine linked to attack that killed 115 people

Putin vows harsh retribution for concert hall attackers

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Saturday that the four gunmen who killed more than 100 at a Moscow concert hall had been arrested, and vowed harsh retribution for everybody involved in plotting the attack. "All four perpetrators of the terrorist act who shot and killed people have been detained. They were travelling towards Ukraine ... We will identify and punish everybody who stood behind the terrorists, who prepared the attack."

Putin calls attack on Moscow concert hall 'barbaric terrorist act'

Russian President Putin called the attack on Moscow concert hall 'barbaric terrorist act' and expressed his deep condolences. The Russian President also declared day of mourning on March 24. In a televised address to the nation, Putin said: "I am speaking to you today in connection with the bloody, barbaric terrorist act, the victims of which were dozens of innocent, peaceful people. ... I declare 24 March a day of national mourning."

Ukraine not involved in Moscow attack, says Kyiv military intelligence spokesman

Ukraine was not involved in Friday's shooting attack near Moscow and suggestions of a Ukrainian link "have nothing in common with reality," a spokesman for Kyiv's military spy agency said on Saturday. Russia's FSB security service said "all four terrorists" behind the attack at a concert hall near the capital had been arrested while heading to the Ukrainian border, and that they had contacts in Ukraine. "This is of course another lie from the Russian special services, which has nothing in common with reality and does not stand up against any criticism," Andriy Yusov, of the Defence Ministry's Main Directorate of Intelligence, told Reuters.

Erdogan says Turkey condemns 'unacceptable' Moscow attack

Rescuers to search Moscow concert hall for several days

Rescuers will for "several days" scour through the rubble of a Moscow concert hall where gunmen shot dead dozens of people, the Moscow region's governor said Saturday. "Rescuers are working at the site of the tragedy round the clock ... the work will continue for at least several more days," said Andrey Vorobyov in a post on Telegram.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday condemned the Moscow concert hall shooting 'in the strongest possible terms.'

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday condemned the attack "in the strongest possible terms," spokesman Farhan Haq said in a statement. Guterres "conveys his deep condolences to the bereaved families and the people and the Government of the Russian Federation," he added, referring to Russia by its official name.

UK, Japan condemn terrorist attack in Russia, offer condolences to families of victims

The UK and Japan have condemned the terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall near Moscow and extended sympathies to the families of the victims.UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron has condemned the terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall near Moscow. He stated that the UK offers condolences to the families of the victims. In a post on X, David Cameron stated, "The UK condemns in the strongest terms the deadly terrorist attack at the Crocus City Hall near Moscow. We offer our heartfelt condolences and express our deepest sympathy to the families of the many victims. Nothing can ever justify such horrific violence." Meanwhile, Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Press Secretary Kobayashi Maki said that Japan has condemned attacks against civilians. In a statement, Kobayashi Maki stated, "Meanwhile, Regarding a shooting incident occurred at a commercial facility in Krasnogorsk, Moscow Oblast, Russian Federation, on March 22 (local time), which resulted in a large number of casualties, Japan firmly condemns such an attack against civilians. Japan extends its sincere condolences to the bereaved families, and expresses its heartfelt sympathy to those who were injured."

Zelensky aide denies Ukraine link to Moscow concert hall attack

Kyiv said Saturday it rejected Russian claims of a Ukrainian link to an attack on a Moscow concert hall that killed more than 100 people. "The versions of Russian special services regarding Ukraine are absolutely untenable and absurd," presidential aide Mykhaylo Podolyak said in a post on X, formerly Twitter, after Russia's FSB said Saturday it had arrested the gunmen trying to flee to Ukraine.

Moscow attack: All 4 assailants among 11 detained, 2 nabbed after car chase

Two assailants responsible for the fatal attack at Moscow's Crocus City Mall on late Friday have been detained after a car chase, a Russian lawmaker said on Saturday. According to the Russian news agencies, 11 more suspects, including another two assailants, have been detained. At least four attackers had opened gunfire in the mall.

Moscow shooting attackers had contacts in Ukraine: Russia's FSB

Four suspected perpetrators of the deadly attack near Moscow on Friday that killed over 100 people, were heading towards Russia's border with Ukraine when they were apprehended early on Saturday, and had contacts on the Ukrainian side, said Interfax quoting the FSB security service

Russian Lawmaker Kartapolov: If Ukraine is found to be behind Moscow attack, there should be a clear answer on the battlefield

Perpetrators of Moscow attack were heading to Russia- Ukraine border and had contacts on the Ukrainian side

Rescuers to search Moscow concert hall for 'several days'

Rescuers will for "several days" scour through the rubble of a Moscow concert hall where gunmen shot dead dozens of people, the Moscow region's governor said Saturday."Rescuers are working at the site of the tragedy round the clock ... the work will continue for at least several more days," said Andrey Vorobyov in a post on Telegram.

Death toll in Moscow concert attack climbs to 115: Investigators

"The emergency services have found more bodies while removing the rubble. The death toll now stands at 115 people," Russia's Investigative Committee, which probes major crimes, said in a statement.

Putin, Lukashenko ready to cooperate in fight against terrorism

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko confirmed their readiness to work together in the fight against terrorism in a phone call, the TASS news agency quoted the Kremlin as saying on Saturday.Russia has arrested 11 people including four suspected gunmen in connection with a shooting rampage that killed 93 people in a concert hall near Moscow, the Kremlin said on Saturday.

Russia's FSB: Moscow shooting attackers had contacts in Ukraine

Four suspected perpetrators of a deadly attack near Moscow on Friday were heading towards Russia's border with Ukraine when they were apprehended early on Saturday, and had contacts on the Ukrainian side, Interfax quoted the FSB security service as saying.The FSB said the attack had been carefully planned.Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said on Friday that Kyiv had nothing to do with Friday's attack

Russia says concert hall attackers set fire to building

Russian investigators on Saturday said "terrorists" set fire to a Moscow concert hall using a "flammable liquid" after they went on a shooting rampage that killed over 90 people. "The terrorists used a flammable liquid to set fire to the concert hall premises where there were spectators, including wounded," Russia's Investigative Committee, which probes major crimes, said about Friday's attack. (AFP)

Close Putin ally Patrushev calls terrorist attack 'significant threat' to Russia

Russian President Vladimir Putin's close ally Patrushev said that the attack shows terrorism poses "a significant threat to Russia". (Reuters)

Russia arrests 11 over concert hall attack, including 4 assailants: Report

Two suspects in Moscow attack detained after car chase: Report

Two people suspected of carrying out a deadly attack near Moscow on Friday have been detained in Russia's Bryansk region following a car chase, lawmaker Alexander Khinshtein said on Telegram on Saturday. Other suspects fled into a nearby forest on foot, Khinshtein said. Camouflage-clad gunmen opened fire with automatic weapons at concertgoers near Moscow on Friday, killing at least 60 people and injuring 145 in an attack claimed by Islamic State militants. (Reuters)

Russian Embassy in India flies national flag at half-mast in solidarity with Moscow terror attack victims

The Russian Embassy in India flew the Russian flag at half mast on Saturday following the tragic terrorist attack in Moscow, which claimed the lives of 60 people and left another 100 wounded. "As a sign of mourning and grief for the victims of the terrorist attack in Moscow, the Russian Embassy in India flies the national flag at half-mast. We express our sincere condolences to the families of those deceased and wish a speedy recovery to all those injured," said the Embassy in a post on social media platform X.

Three children among victims of concert attack near Moscow: Report

Three children were among those killed in an attack on a concert near Moscow on Friday, the RIA news agency cited the regional healthcare ministry as saying on Saturday. (Reuters)

China's Xi sends 'condolences' to Putin over Moscow attack

Chinese President Xi Jinping sent his "condolences" to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin over the fatal attack on a Moscow concert hall that left more than 60 people dead, state-run news agency Xinhua said on Saturday. Xi "stressed that China opposes all form of terrorism, strongly condemns the terrorist attack and firmly supports the Russian government's efforts to safeguard its national security and stability", Xinhua also reported.

'India stands with Russia': PM Modi condemns terrorist attack at Moscow concert hall

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday condemned the terrorist attack at a Moscow music hall in Russia in which over 60 people have been killed and 100 wounded.

Russia’s Federal Security Service says at least 40 people were killed and more than 100 were wounded in a mass shooting at a Moscow concert hall.

A Russian Rosguardia (National Guard) servicemen secures an area as a massive blaze seen over the Crocus City Hall on the western edge of Moscow, Russia, Friday, March 22, 2024. Several gunmen have burst into a big concert hall in Moscow and fired automatic weapons at the crowd, injuring an unspecified number of people and setting a massive blaze in an apparent terror attack days after President Vladimir Putin cemented his grip on the country in a highly orchestrated electoral landslide. (AP Photo/Dmitry Serebryakov)

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A massive blaze is seen over the Crocus City Hall on the western edge of Moscow, Russia, Friday, March 22, 2024. Several gunmen have burst into a big concert hall in Moscow and fired automatic weapons at the crowd, injuring an unspecified number of people and setting a massive blaze in an attack days after President Vladimir Putin cemented his grip on the country in a highly orchestrated electoral landslide. (Sergei Vedyashkin/Moscow News Agency via AP)

Medics transport a body of a victim a waiting ambulance near the burning building of the Crocus City Hall on the western edge of Moscow, Russia, Friday, March 22, 2024. Several gunmen have burst into a big concert hall in Moscow and fired automatic weapons at the crowd, injuring an unspecified number of people and setting a massive blaze in an apparent terror attack days after President Vladimir Putin cemented his grip on the country in a highly orchestrated electoral landslide. (Sergei Vedyashkin/Moscow News Agency via AP)

Russian Rosguardia (National Guard) servicemen leave a bus near the burning building of the Crocus City Hall on the western edge of Moscow, Russia, Friday, March 22, 2024. Several gunmen have burst into a big concert hall in Moscow and fired automatic weapons at the crowd, injuring an unspecified number of people and setting a massive blaze in an apparent terror attack days after President Vladimir Putin cemented his grip on the country in a highly orchestrated electoral landslide. (Sergei Vedyashkin/Moscow News Agency via AP)

A massive blaze is seen over the Crocus City Hall on the western edge of Moscow, Russia, Friday, March 22, 2024. Several gunmen have burst into a big concert hall in Moscow and fired automatic weapons at the crowd, injuring an unspecified number of people and setting a massive blaze in an attack days after President Vladimir Putin cemented his grip on the country in a highly orchestrated electoral landlside. (Sergei Vedyashkin/Moscow News Agency via AP)

Ambulances park near a burning building of the Crocus City Hall on the western edge of Moscow, Russia, Friday, March 22, 2024. Several gunmen have burst into a big concert hall in Moscow and fired automatic weapons at the crowd, injuring an unspecified number of people and setting a massive blaze in an attack days after President Vladimir Putin cemented his grip on the country in a highly orchestrated electoral landslide. (AP Photo/Dmitry Serebryakov)

A massive blaze is seen over the Crocus City Hall on the western edge of Moscow, Russia, Friday, March 22, 2024. Several gunmen have burst into a big concert hall in Moscow and fired automatic weapons at the crowd, injuring an unspecified number of people and setting a massive blaze in an apparent terror attack days after President Vladimir Putin cemented his grip on the country in a highly orchestrated electoral landslide. (Denis Voronin/Moscow News Agency via AP)

A massive blaze is seen over the Crocus City Hall on the western edge of Moscow, Russia, Friday, March 22, 2024. Several gunmen have burst into a big concert hall in Moscow and fired automatic weapons at the crowd, injuring an unspecified number of people and setting a massive blaze in an apparent terror attack days after President Vladimir Putin cemented his grip on the country in a highly orchestrated electoral landslide. (AP Photo/Dmitry Serebryakov)

Police block the road to the Crocus City Hall on the western edge of Moscow, Russia, Friday, March 22, 2024. Several gunmen have burst into a big concert hall in Moscow and fired automatic weapons at the crowd, injuring an unspecified number of people and setting a massive blaze in an apparent terror attack days after President Vladimir Putin cemented his grip on the country in a highly orchestrated electoral landslide. (AP Photo/Dmitry Serebryakov)

A massive blaze is seen over the Crocus City Hall on the western edge of Moscow, Russia, Friday, March 22, 2024. Several gunmen have burst into a big concert hall in Moscow and fired automatic weapons at the crowd, injuring an unspecified number of people and setting a massive blaze in an attack days after President Vladimir Putin cemented his grip on the country in a highly orchestrated electoral landslide. (AP Photo/Dmitry Serebryakov)

Ambulances parked near the burning building of the Crocus City Hall on the western edge of Moscow, Russia, Friday, March 22, 2024. Several gunmen have burst into a big concert hall in Moscow and fired automatic weapons at the crowd, injuring an unspecified number of people and setting a massive blaze in an apparent terror attack days after President Vladimir Putin cemented his grip on the country in a highly orchestrated electoral landslide. (AP Photo/Dmitry Serebryakov)

A man speaks to journalists as a massive blaze seen over the Crocus City Hall on the western edge of Moscow, Russia, Friday, March 22, 2024. Several gunmen have burst into a big concert hall in Moscow and fired automatic weapons at the crowd, injuring an unspecified number of people and setting a massive blaze in an apparent terror attack days after President Vladimir Putin cemented his grip on the country in a highly orchestrated electoral landslide. (AP Photo/Dmitry Serebryakov)

Russian Rosguardia (National Guard) servicemen secure an area near the Crocus City Hall on the western edge of Moscow, Russia, Friday, March 22, 2024. Several gunmen have burst into a big concert hall in Moscow and fired automatic weapons at the crowd, injuring an unspecified number of people and setting a massive blaze in an apparent terror attack days after President Vladimir Putin cemented his grip on the country in a highly orchestrated electoral landslide. (AP Photo/Vitaly Smolnikov)

A medic stands near ambulances parked outside the burning building of the Crocus City Hall on the western edge of Moscow, Russia, Friday, March 22, 2024. Several gunmen have burst into a big concert hall in Moscow and fired automatic weapons at the crowd, injuring an unspecified number of people and setting a massive blaze in an apparent terror attack days after President Vladimir Putin cemented his grip on the country in a highly orchestrated electoral landslide. (AP Photo/Vitaly Smolnikov)

Russian Rosguardia (National Guard) servicemen walk toward the Crocus City Hall on the western edge of Moscow, Russia, Friday, March 22, 2024. Several gunmen have burst into a big concert hall in Moscow and fired automatic weapons at the crowd, injuring an unspecified number of people and setting a massive blaze in an apparent terror attack days after President Vladimir Putin cemented his grip on the country in a highly orchestrated electoral landslide. (Sergei Vedyashkin/Moscow News Agency via AP)

Russian Rosguardia (National Guard) servicemen help a man to leave an area near the Crocus City Hall on the western edge of Moscow, Russia, Friday, March 22, 2024. Several gunmen have burst into a big concert hall in Moscow and fired automatic weapons at the crowd, injuring an unspecified number of people and setting a massive blaze in an apparent terror attack days after President Vladimir Putin cemented his grip on the country in a highly orchestrated electoral landslide. (AP Photo/Vitaly Smolnikov)

Traffic on the highway is visible near the Crocus City Hall with a warning message on a billboard that reads “we mourn 03.22.2024" on the western edge of Moscow, Russia, Friday, March 22, 2024. Several gunmen have burst into a big concert hall in Moscow and fired automatic weapons at the crowd, injuring an unspecified number of people and setting a massive blaze in an apparent terror attack days after President Vladimir Putin cemented his grip on the country in a highly orchestrated electoral landslide. (AP Photo/Vitaly Smolnikov)

MOSCOW (AP) — Assailants burst into a large concert hall in Moscow on Friday and sprayed the crowd with gunfire, killing over 60 people, injuring more than 100 and setting fire to the venue in a brazen attack just days after President Vladimir Putin cemented his grip on power in a highly orchestrated electoral landslide.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement posted on affiliated channels on social media. A U.S. intelligence official told The Associated Press that U.S. intelligence agencies had learned the group’s branch in Afghanistan was planning an attack in Moscow and shared the information with Russian officials.

It wasn’t immediately clear what happened to the attackers after the raid, which state investigators were investigating as terrorism.

The attack, which left the concert hall in flames with a collapsing roof, was the deadliest in Russia in years and came as the country’s war in Ukraine dragged into a third year. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin called the raid a “huge tragedy.”

The Kremlin said Putin was informed minutes after the assailants burst into Crocus City Hall, a large music venue on Moscow’s western edge that can accommodate 6,200 people.

The attack took place as crowds gathered for a performance by the Russian rock band Picnic. The Investigative Committee, the top state criminal investigation agency, reported early Saturday that more than 60 people were killed. Health authorities released a list of 145 injured — 115 of them hospitalized, including five children.

Some Russian news reports suggested more victims could have been trapped by the blaze that erupted after the assailants threw explosives.

Video showed the building on fire, with a huge cloud of smoke rising through the night sky. The street was lit up by the blinking blue lights of dozens of firetrucks, ambulances and other emergency vehicles, as fire helicopters buzzed overhead to dump water on the blaze that took hours to contain.

The prosecutor’s office said several men in combat fatigues entered the concert hall and fired on concertgoers.

Dave Primov, who was in the hall during the attack, described panic and chaos when the attack began.

“There were volleys of gunfire,” Primov told the AP. “We all got up and tried to move toward the aisles. People began to panic, started to run and collided with each other. Some fell down and others trampled on them.”

Videos posted by Russian media and on messaging app channels showed men toting assault rifles shooting screaming people at point-blank range. One video showed a man in the auditorium saying the assailants had set it on fire, as gunshots rang out incessantly.

Guards at the concert hall didn’t have guns, and some could have been killed at the start of the attack, Russian media reported. Some Russian news outlets suggested the assailants fled before special forces and riot police arrived. Reports said police patrols were looking for several vehicles the attackers could have used to escape.

In a statement posted by its Aamaq news agency, the Islamic State group said it attacked a large gathering of “Christians” in Krasnogorsk on Moscow’s outskirts, killing and wounding hundreds. It was not immediately possible to verify the authenticity of the claim.

However, U.S. intelligence officials confirmed the claim by the Islamic State group’s branch based in Afghanistan that it was responsible for the Moscow attack, a U.S. official told the AP.

The official said U.S. intelligence agencies had gathered information in recent weeks that the IS branch was planning an attack in Moscow. He said U.S. officials privately shared the intelligence earlier this month with Russian officials. The official was briefed on the matter but was not authorized to publicly discuss the intelligence information and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.

Noting that the IS statement cast its claim as an attack targeting Christians, Aymenn Jawad al-Tamimi, an expert on the terrorist group, said it appeared to reflect the group’s strategy of “striking wherever they can as part of a global ‘fight the infidels and apostates everywhere.’”

In October 2015, a bomb planted by IS downed a Russian passenger plane over Sinai, killing all 224 people on board, most of them Russian vacation-goers returning from Egypt. The group, which operates mainly in Syria and Iraq but also in Afghanistan and Africa, also has claimed several attacks in Russia’s volatile Caucasus and other regions in the past years. It recruited fighters from Russia and other parts of former Soviet Union.

On March 7, Russia’s top security agency said it thwarted an attack on a synagogue in Moscow by an Islamic State cell, killing several of its members in the Kaluga region near the Russian capital. A few days earlier, Russian authorities said six alleged IS members were killed in a shootout in Ingushetia in Russia’s Caucasus region.

On Friday, statements of outrage, shock and support for those affected by the concert call attack streamed in from around the world.

Some commentators on Russian social media questioned how authorities, who relentlessly surveil and pressure Kremlin critics, failed to identify the threat and prevent the attack.

Russian officials said security was tightened at Moscow’s airports, railway stations and the capital’s sprawling subway system. Moscow’s mayor canceled all mass gatherings, and theaters and museums shut for the weekend. Other Russian regions also tightened security.

The Kremlin didn’t immediately blame anyone for the attack, but some Russian lawmakers were quick to accuse Ukraine and called for ramping up strikes. Hours before the attack, the Russian military l aunched a sweeping barrage on Ukraine’s power system, crippling the country’s biggest hydroelectric plant and other energy facilities and leaving more than a million people without electricity.

Dmitry Medvedev, deputy head of Russia’s Security Council, said that if Ukraine involvement was proven, all those involved “must be tracked down and killed without mercy, including officials of the state that committed such outrage.”

Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, denied Ukraine involvement.

“Ukraine has never resorted to the use of terrorist methods,” he posted on X. “Everything in this war will be decided only on the battlefield.”

John Kirby, spokesman for the White House National Security Council, said he couldn’t yet speak about the details but “the images are just horrible. And just hard to watch.”

Friday’s attack followed a statement earlier this month by the U.S. Embassy in Moscow that urged Americans to avoid crowded places in view of “imminent” plans by extremists to target large gatherings in the Russian capital, including concerts. The warning was repeated by several other Western embassies.

National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said Friday the U.S. government had information about a planned attack in Moscow, prompting the State Department advisory to Americans. The U.S. government shared the information with Russian authorities in accordance with its longstanding “duty to warn” policy, Watson said.

Putin, who extended his grip on Russia for another six years in this week’s presidential vote after a sweeping crackdown on dissent, denounced the Western warnings as an attempt to intimidate Russians. “All that resembles open blackmail and an attempt to frighten and destabilize our society,” he said earlier this week.

Russia was shaken by a series of deadly terror attacks in the early 2000s during the fighting with separatists in the Russian province of Chechnya.

In October 2002, Chechen militants took about 800 people hostage at a Moscow theater. Two days later, Russian special forces stormed the building and 129 hostages and 41 Chechen fighters died, most from effects of narcotic gas Russian forces use to subdue the attackers.

In September 2004, about 30 Chechen militants seized a school in Beslan in southern Russia taking hundreds of hostages. The siege ended in a bloodbath two days later and more than 330 people, about half of them children, were killed.

Associate Press writer Michael Balsamo in Washington contributed to this report.

This story was updated to correct that John Kirby is a spokesman for the White House National Security Council, not the White House national security adviser.

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Some victims of Moscow shooting in critical condition, authorities say – as it happened

This blog has now closed. You can read our full report on the attack on Crocus City Hall in Moscow here

• 14h ago Summary
• 14h ago Islamic State solely responsible for Moscow attack, no Ukraine involvement - White House
• 16h ago Zelenskiy speaks out
• 17h ago Russian TV airs footage of terrorist attack suspects
• 18h ago Interim summary
• 19h ago Security experts see credibility in Islamic State claims of responsibility for attack
• 21h ago US told Russia Islamic State was planning to attack Moscow - report
• 22h ago Summary of the day …
• 23h ago Death toll in Crocus City Hall terror attack rises to 133
• 23h ago Three children still in hospital – one in critical condition
• 23h ago Putin praises work of emergency services and bravery of people at Crocus City Hall
• 23h ago Putin: all four attackers were detained while heading to Ukraine after attack
• 23h ago Putin declares Sunday a national day of mourning
• 23h ago Putin: Russian Federation will 'identify and punish everyone who prepared the terrorist attack'
• 24h ago Podolyak: 'any attempts to connect Ukraine to the terrorist attack are absolutely untenable'
• 24h ago Erdoğan condemns attack and says terror is 'the common enemy of humanity'
• 1d ago Ukrainian military intelligence official: claim Ukraine linked to attack 'another lie' from Russia
• 1d ago Russia’s FSB tries to link Ukraine to Moscow attack despite IS claiming responsibility
• 1d ago Cameron: UK condemns Moscow attack 'in the strongest terms'
• 1d ago Death toll in Crocus City Hall attack rises to 115
• 1d ago Russia's FSB confirms it has arrested 11 suspects
• 1d ago Crocus City Hall attack – what we know so far …
• 1d ago Putin told some suspects detained as Crocus City Hall attack death toll rises to 93
• 1d ago Kremlin: Putin has been told that 11 suspects have been detained
• 1d ago 107 people in hospital after Crocus City Hall attack – Russian state media
• 1d ago Opening summary …

RIA reports the Belarus ambassador to Russia , Dmitry Krutoy , has said his country’s special services are actively cooperating with their Russian counterparts to prevent terrorists escaping across the border.

In Russia , Tass has spoken to two people who were in the Crocus City Hall last night as part of a Russian Sports Dance Championship which was taking place there in a separate part of the building from the attack.

Nadezhda Erastova told TASS “Everyone was heroes – they didn’t panic, they were able to get out. Thanks to our coordinated actions, not a single participant in the competition was injured.”

Andrei Telnov said “During the terrorist attack, we were not in the concert hall, we were in another part of the building, but we heard shots and smelled smoke.

“Representatives of Crocus took measures to remove people, calmed everyone down as much as possible and led them out through emergency exits.

“People, of course, were worried and scared. I myself was not in the best emotional state; yesterday was one of the most difficult days of my life.”

My colleague Jason Burke examines who might be resonsible for the attack:

Islamic State (IS) has claimed responsibility for the attack, praising the “Islamic fighters” who carried it out. Many commentators and US officials have pointed to the IS affiliate called Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) as prime suspect – though so far there is no evidence that this is the case.

ISKP is a branch of Islamic State in Afghanistan. The name comes from that given to a region by some local Islamic rulers and so explicitly rejects modern national frontiers while evoking what its members consider the lost glory and power of Muslim empires.

IS leaders, like many Islamic militants, are mindful of Russian support for the regime of Bashar al-Assad in Syria, and see Moscow as part of the broader coalition of Christian or western forces against Islam.

In September 2022, ISKP militants claimed responsibility for a deadly suicide bombing at the Russian embassy in Kabul and some experts say the group has opposed the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, in recent years. Michael Kugelman, of the Washington-based Wilson Center, said ISKP “sees Russia as being complicit in activities that regularly oppress Muslims” and counts as members a number of central Asian militants with their own grievances against Moscow.

ISKP leaders may also see Russia, along with China and others as important to the continued rule of the Taliban and are seeking to undermine them. An attack in Moscow would thus combine local and more global agendas.

Read more here: Who is thought to be behind the Moscow attack?

Death toll in Crocus City Hall attack rises to 115

Russia’s Investigative Committee has announced that the death toll for Friday night’s terror attack at the Crocus City Hall on the outskirts of Moscos has risen to at least 115, including three children.

121 people are believed to have been hospitalised, with about 60 of them, including a small number of children, being described as in “serious” or “extremely serious” condition. So far Russia’s ministry of health has published the identities of 41 people known to have been killed.

Russia’s Federal Security Service has issued a statement confirming it has arrested 11 suspects after the Crocus City Hall terror attack on Friday night, including four who it says participated directly in the attack. It claims that the suspects were attempting to flee to the Russia-Ukraine border. The FSB said it had informed president Vladimir Putin of the developments.

Leading politicians have accused Ukraine of being involved in the attack, which Kyiv denies. Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attack, without providing any evidence.

Here are two of those images I mentioned earlier which show that the inside of the auditorium at the Crocus City Hall has been ravaged by fire in the wake of yesterday’s terror attack. The pictures were released by the Russian Emergency Ministry.

There is still some confusion over the death toll and number of wounded in the Crocus City Hall terror attack on Friday night, when gunmen using automatic weapons stormed a concert hall on the outskirts of Moscow. Russian authorities have said that at least 93 people were killed, and that the toll is expected to rise.

Russian media, citing the health ministry, now say that 121 people have been hospitalised, which is an increase on the figure of 107 given earlier in the day. The dead and those hospitalised are believed to include some children. Russia’s health ministry has published a list of 41 people who were killed who have been formally identified.

RIA reports that the head of the Moscow regional blood centre has said the city now has enough donations of blood to cope with the wounded.

Russian politician and former army officer Andrey Kartapolov has said “there must be a clear answer on the battlefield” if there has been any involvement of Ukraine in the Crocus City Hall attack.

Without providing any evidence, he told Russian news service RIA Novosti that “Ukraine and its patrons are the main stakeholders in the terrorist attack at Crocus”.

Kartapolov, who now heads Russia’s Duma defence committee, was sanctioned by the UK and the EU in 2015 for his involvement in Russia’s military campaigns in eastern Ukraine, and the US applied sanctions to him after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine was launched by Russia in February 2022.

In Russia , on its Telegram channel, Tass has published images which show that the auditorium where a concert by the band Picnic was due to be held last night and where much of the shooting took place during the attack, has been completely destoryed by fire. Citing the ministry of emergency situations, it confirmed that the roof collapsed as a result of the fire.

The BBC Russian service is reporting some more detail on those in hospital after the attack. Citing Russia’s ministry of health it reports that 16 people including one child are in an “extremely serious” condition, and that 44 other people including two children are in a “serious” condition.

The ministry of health in the Moscow region has published the identities of 41 of the at least 93 people known to have been killed in the attack. On the list, the youngest victim identified so far is a 33-year-old, and the oldest is 71.

• Moscow concert hall attack

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