Extensive changes have been made to the luxurious complex at Cape Idokopas near Gelendzhik, reputed to be Putin’s Black Sea hideaway, according to a May 6 report jointly released by Alexei Navalny’s FBK Anti-Corruption Foundation and independent news outlet Proekt, to coincide with President Vladimir Putin’s inauguration.
The new look palace
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The new décor reflects Putin’s ever-growing obsession with war and religion, as the FBK/Proekt report makes clear:
“The interior of the palace attests to the scope of Putin’s evolution since the property was built in the early 2010s. The renovated version does not feature a casino, a striptease hall, or an arcade room. Instead, it has a chapel housing an icon of Saint Vladimir, Putin’s patron saint - [the prince believed to have baptized Kyivan Rus in 988].
“One of the main halls has been decorated with paintings of battles and corpses. The centerpiece is titled ‘He Who Comes to Us With a Sword Will Die by the Sword!’ The original of this painting is prominently displayed in the Grand Kremlin Palace, and Putin is known to favor the set phrase used in the title.”
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The chapel is decorated with religious icons and crosses along with the triptych of Saint Vladimir and contains a wooden throne, Proekt said.
The tradition of Russian rulers decorating their palaces and important religious sites with depictions of their namesake saints goes back to the Middle Ages. This and the presence of a throne in Putin’s chapel strongly suggest how he now sees himself. Another icon of Saint Vladimir is hung in the Annunciation Cathedral of the Kremlin – where Putin traditionally visits after his inauguration.
Proekt spoke to the professional reconstruction team who said the work had actually been completed in the spring of last year when the contractors left the “South Property,” which was their code name for the palace.
One of the workers produced a video of the renovations which gives an idea of the extensive work that was carried out and shows that no expense was spared.
One example cited in the report is that the “reading room” is adorned with two chandeliers made by the French manufacturer of fine crystal, Baccarat, which in total cost about 100 million rubles (about $1 million).
The history of the Cape Idokopas residence
The facility has an interesting and somewhat convoluted back story, as highlighted in the FBK/Proekt investigation. In 2005 a company called Lyrus, which was owned by Nikolai Shamalov, a friend of Putin, sought authority from the presidential administration to construct a “boarding house” on the site. This was granted and construction began in 2006.
In 2010 Shamalov’s business partner Sergei Kolesnikov wrote an open letter to then President Dmitry Medvedev which claimed that in fact a “palace” was being built for Prime Minister Putin. He provided documentary evidence, which also revealed that funding for the construction was provided by a medical foundation formed in 2000 to which Moscow’s business elite had been “invited” to donate.
In 2011 investigative journalists from the website RuLeaks.Net and independent news site Sobesednik gained access to the compound but were apprehended and removed from the site by employees of the Federal Protective Service (FSO), who were there to protect Putin. At that point, it became common knowledge that the palace “belonged” to the Prime Minister.
Shortly afterwards it was declared that Alexander Ponomarenko, a business associate of the Rotenberg brothers, who were part of Putin’s inner circle, allegedly bought the compound and land surrounding it, ostensibly to develop tourist facilities there. It soon became clear that nothing had changed – Putin’s yacht Olympia accompanied by patrol ships was seen moored at Cape Idokopas on several occasions and the facility was managed by people associated with the FSO and Shamalov.
In 2021 Navalny’s FBK produced an investigation that showed how extensive the palace grounds were and the hedonistic interior which included a casino, a pole-dancing studio and rooms filled with toy cars and model railways.
Shortly after the FBK exposé it was announced that the oligarch Arkady Rotenberg would convert Cape Idokopas into a hotel and resort with a planned 2023 opening date. He said at the time “I’m very fond of the hotel industry,” and went on to say that he intended to transform it into a tourist destination.
“In fact, this is what I’ve been working on for a few years now. I have a few properties in Crimea, in the [Russian] Far East, and plan to purchase some in Altai. I’m considering this area,” Rotenberg said. The latest investigation shows that he (partially) kept his word – it was renovated but is still not used as hotel and is still intended for use by Putin according to the FBK/Proekt report.
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Comments (4)
What are you people doing? Putin did not breach the Budapest Memorandum (where Russia agreed to honor Ukraine sovereign territory) because of religious differences --- he said he did so because he didn't want them (another formerly friendly country ) joining NATO. Essentially "he" was being "dumped" by another "girlfriend". You people are whining like a bunch of babies, because of who he and/or Biden allegedly "showers with", "how rich" they may be and is "more Christian" --- none of which is relevant to "cutting your girlfriends throat" because she leaves you for a younger man.
@Joe Lemoine, Wow. troll 'jack' ...you provide a great illustration of whats on the MRGA trolls minds theses days.
Not much morally redeemable in your lot, but that should get you the express pass in the downwards direction you wish to head.
The fascinating fact about Russia, is that the Moscow “orthodoxy” is intimately linked to kremlins politics, in fact, it is no longer “Christian” religion. It is now based on some biblical events “the Withholder”. Will their churches replace crosses with some other symbol, or will it continues as everything else in Russia that is not related to reality.
@Boogie, As with everything else in Russia, it dies what the Tsar tells it to do.
That's why Russians aren't generally known for having a sense of initiative.
Russian tax dollars hard at work (..sarcasm). As the world's wealthiest politician, Putin is estimated to have a net worth greater than $200 BILLION USD. Average net worth in russia is $103 THOUSAND. Average salary in russia is $14,700 USD.
Putin's "possessions include a 190,000 square-foot mansion overlooking the Black Sea, 19 other houses, 700 cars, 58 aircraft and helicopters, and a $716 million plane fittingly named “The Flying Kremlin’."
After his 50 years of public service, Biden's net worth is $10 MILLION, mostly from two homes that have doubled in value in the last decade. Average net worth of an American in his age bracket is approximated $1.7 MILLION...again mostly from real estate appreciation. Average salary in USA is $59,384.
Which leader serves their people? Whose people serve a dictatorial master. Who governing model is corrupt?
putinrump aspires to be putin. He will falsely sell Americans whatever message they want to hear to get the power he needs. He will not deliver anything that does not serve his personal needs. He will lay claim to anything good which he had no hand in. and reassign blame for anything bad that his opponent had no hand in. He told 30,500 such lies in his 4 year WH term.
Biden serves the people...50 years worth of public service, fighting inequity and upholding fair laws. Putinrump has 50 years of self serving crime (4091 lawsuits).
MRGA Americans have no clue how lucky they are to have president Biden.
@John, exactly! Especially since Biden showered with his daughter and is happy to do so for yours too.
@MRGA jack the moron,
Thanks for acknowledging the nefarious facts about putin and putinrump.
Regarding your lies about Biden, I've noticed a stock MRGA technique is to blame whatever deviant thing their bosses do, on those that oppose their crimes. You provide a a typical illustration of this in your false Biden statement. The truth is actually better illustrated by what was said today at putinrumps trial today.
Former porn star Stormy Daniels testified: "You remind me of my daughter,” Mr Trump told her in the hotel room, according to Ms Daniels. “Smart, blonde and beautiful.”
I wonder if putin also was able to find sexual doppelgängers for his daughters? Maybe through putinrump's child sex exploiting friend Jeffery Epstein? Perhaps you could ask around the MRGA troll farm and get back to us on that?
I hope for putin's and putinrump's daughters sake they did not go beyond that. They do now seem rather estranged from him...and it would explain why each's wives left them.
Still many questions, but every day the puzzle pieces build a factual picture of these MRGA boss's deviance.
@John, you dumb fuck! Bidens own daughter said “ daddy” would shower with her but deviant fucking idiots like yourself deny, deny, deny.. so again, fuck you!
@'Simple'Jack' the Idiot,
Thank you for checking with your MRGA troll masters and getting back to us Ukraine supporters so fast. I noticed a few typos above so I am correcting those for you....no need to thank me.
"@John, you lovely man! Putinrumps own daughter said “ daddy” would shower with her but even those who don't like idiot putinrump like yourself probably doubt that is true. I love you man. Thanks for keeping me straight!"
I appreciate that in your intended tone (post my minor correction), you are starting to recognize you have been wrongly indulging the deviant of putin's johnson and rump.
@John, blah, blah, blah, putinrump, mrga, putinrump, mrga, that’s all you got you stupid pathetic pile of shit. Fuck you!
@MRGA troll 'simple jack' the idiot,
I'm afraid I can only assign a score of 2 on that brief response. Those points are awarded for correctly associating "MRGA" and "putinrump".
I would be curious as to your knowledge of 'piles of shit' that have human qualities. Have you met one yet that was intelligent and inspiring?
As for your final regression to form, your repeated requests to have sex with me remains odd given what westerners are sold about all russians being ubiquitously straight. Perhaps it is also an indication you are coming around to being more accepting of others. Good progress troll 'jack'. I really should not but I will give you one more point for that (3 total out of 10 possible). As for myself, the encounter you propose is not be something I'm currently seeking. Don't take that personally; it is not my intent to judge your sexual preference.
Blow it up