Putin’s new Sochi residence being secretly built on grand scale
Photo: Russian President Vladimir Putin (Getty Images)
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s residence in Sochi has been partially demolished. However, large-scale construction of a new one is nearing completion on the site, according to BBC Russian.
New residence in Sochi
The outlet found that the classified construction of a new residence for the Kremlin ruler is underway on the grounds of Bocharov Ruchey in Sochi.
The work is being carried out under a state defense contract for the Federal Protective Service, while the contractor was selected from the orbit of a friend of Putin.
In 2024, old buildings at Bocharov Ruchey, the Russian leader’s official residence in Sochi, began to be demolished. The authorities did not publicly report either the demolition or the reasons behind it.
It turned out that not everything was demolished. Near the southern border of the residence, the Bocharov Ruchey-2 building, constructed for the 2014 Olympics, has been preserved. This is where Putin receives high-ranking guests, such as International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi.
Construction on a grand scale
Large-scale construction is now in full swing on the site of the demolished complexes. Satellite images examined by the BBC show that by autumn 2026, the roofs of the new buildings are already visible. They occupy a noticeably larger area than the former residence.
The outlet found a construction contract with a number that is assigned only to agreements under the state defense procurement program.
Who is being recruited
The BBC found job postings for construction work at Putin’s residence seeking:
- Concrete-frame workers,
- Concrete workers,
- Bricklayers,
- Reinforcement workers.
In some postings, Bocharov Ruchey was named directly, while in others, the connection to the presidential construction project was indicated by a combination of the conditions.
For example, one posting sought workers to build a two-story building "in a restricted-access area requiring a pass," with piece-rate payment in cash. Another posting mentioned a four-story building at a restricted-access facility with passport checks.
Photo: Construction of the residence shown in three satellite images (bbc.com/russian)
Initially, the requirements for construction workers matched the high status of the construction project. Later, they became less stringent. Employers were also willing to hire citizens of Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan.
In addition to a salary, they were offered accommodation, for example, "in a hostel with a swimming pool" or in an apartment, as well as:
- Three meals a day,
- Free tools,
- Workwear.
By autumn 2025, construction was already in full swing. "The structural work is not difficult. First, we finish two floors, then build the building from scratch; technical supervision is not strict," a job posting for concrete-frame workers said. Payment was promised "in cash," the outlet writes.
"Russian security services and internal services control the cash flows, so everything is honest and transparent," recruiters assured applicants.
In 2026, the nature of the vacancies changed: workers were now being sought for interior work at the site, including installing light fixtures, plumbing, and doors.
How much it costs
The outlet was unable to find a publicly available design for the new residence. Satellite images show several large buildings under construction. However, it is impossible to determine their purpose and number of floors based on the images alone.
The total cost of the new complex is also unknown, but offers for construction crews provide an indication of the scale of the work. Job postings listed budgets for individual contracts ranging from 90 million to 500 million rubles, totaling approximately more than 1 billion rubles.
Putin is afraid to fly to Sochi
However, the Russian leader now visits the city only occasionally due to the threat posed by Ukrainian drones.
The Financial Times calculated that before 2022, Putin visited Sochi 24 times, 13 times in 2022, and only twice each in 2024 and 2025.
Earlier, RBC-Ukraine reported that after resuming visits around the regions, Putin stopped traveling to the European part of Russia, where Ukrainian drones regularly reach.
In addition, Putin plans to continue waging war against Ukraine for at least another three years and is actively seeking funds to cover the costs.
