Throne and aqua disco: Journalists show 'Putin palace' from inside
Photo: Vladimir Putin, Russian President (Getty Images)
"Palace" of Russian President Vladimir Putin near Gelendzhik, which became known back in 2021, has been reconstructed. A video has emerged showing what the building looks like from the inside, according to a joint investigation by the Russian Anti-Corruption Foundation and Project.
According to the authors of the investigation, the reconstruction of the palace was completed in February-March 2023. The building is still intended for Putin, although in 2021, Russian oligarch Arkadiy Rotenberg claimed that it would be turned into an apart hotel.
Journalists have released hidden footage of what the "palace" looks like from the inside. Among other things, there is an aqua disco, massage rooms, a pool, a sauna, a cryosauna, and more. Additionally, a theater for Putin has been installed in the building.
On the premises of Putin's "palace," a chapel with a marble floor and dark wallpaper has been constructed. Inside this building, there is also a large iconostasis and stasidia - a throne for the dictator to sit on during lengthy services. Previously, such thrones were placed in churches for kings.
As noted by the authors of the investigation, the reconstruction barely touched the hookah lounge with a stripper pole - only the parquet was replaced with carpet.
Overall, the palace has 11 bedrooms. In the main bedrooms, there are statues, busts, and expensive interior items made in Western countries. The total area of the main bedrooms is 275 square meters.
The investigation states that the money for the construction and maintenance of the "palace" is "provided" by state-owned companies under the guise of non-existent services. Structures of the company Transneft, headed by Putin's close associate Nikolay Tokarev, supposedly rent non-residential premises in the "palace" for 25 and 30 million rubles per month (274 thousand dollars and 328 thousand 800 dollars).
'Putin palace'
In 2021, the Anti-Corruption Foundation released a documentary film in which "opposition figure" Alexei Navalny talked about the 'Putin palace' near Gelendzhik, estimated to cost 100 billion rubles.
The Foundation claimed that the money for such a "palace" was stolen from the Russian budget. The investigation became very popular among Russians.
