Waterfall "stolen"

Putin’s secret palace near St. Petersburg discovered

One of the three main buildings on the estate attributed to Putin is said to contain a 200 square meter dining room.(Bild: Dossier Center)

For the first time, a luxurious estate near St. Petersburg has been filmed that is said to belong to Russian President Vladimir Putin. The palace is idyllically situated on Lake Ladoga and can only be reached by helicopter or yacht. At four square kilometers, the estate is twice the size of Monaco - and offers space for its own brewery, trout and cattle farm as well as a "stolen" waterfall.

Officially, the ruler in the Kremlin does not admit to owning luxury goods such as villas or yachts. However, reporters repeatedly uncover that Putin does not live as modestly as he pretends. For example, journalists from the regime-critical investigative medium "Dossier Center" recently managed to take a look at a gigantic estate near St. Petersburg that is said to belong to the president.

One of the three main buildings on the estate, which is attributed to Putin, is said to contain a 200 square meter dining room.(Bild: Dossier Center)

Putin is said to spend his summer vacation at the country estate, which is officially referred to as a "fishing lodge", "barn" or "garden house". It is just 30 kilometers from the border with Finland and right on the shores of Lake Lagoda. Its existence has been known since 2016, and reporters have now managed to take pictures and videos of the pretty property with the help of a drone. 

Waterfall is said to have been "stolen" from the national park
Although there is no public road leading to the villa, this should not be a major problem for the presumed owner. Thanks to its own boat landing stage and two helipads, the property can be easily reached by air or water. There is also a waterfall on the grounds, which is actually part of the Ladoga-Skerries National Park. According to the "Dossier Center", Putin is said to have appropriated it - there is talk of "theft". 

The estate is also said to have its own trout farm in the lake and a cattle farm. No expense was spared on the interior fittings: bidets worth 11,000 dollars and shower heads costing 4,600 dollars were installed. There is also an in-house brewery and a tea room.

Suspected air defense system discovered
Taking the photos was reportedly not easy. It was necessary to bypass 24-hour security, secret service officers and drone signal interference. During the drone flight, a square embankment and ground markings were also discovered, which could be an indication of an air defense system, according to the medium. 

Complex financial structures conceal ownership structure
Officially, Putin only receives a salary of around 130,000 euros per year and owns a relatively modest official residence. With assets that do not match the image that the Kremlin ruler presents of himself, attempts are being made to disguise his ownership via complex financial structures. He is said to own several luxury yachts and another luxury palace on the Black Sea, which even has its own strip club.