“During his visits, the local security is replaced by FSO [Federal Guard Service] employees, entrances are blocked off, and neighbouring islands are sealed off.”
The three houses boast two helipads, several jetties, a trout farm and a herd of cows for “marbled beef production”.
The grounds also house a factory kitted out with nearly £300,000 worth of Austrian brewing equipment.
It’s capable of producing 82 pints of beer a day, and a second-floor tea room overlooking Lake Ladoga.
Drone footage published alongside the report appeared to reveal a waterfall, which the Dossier Centre claims was “stolen” from the Ladoga Skerries National Park, which sits within the estate.
An ultra-modern two-storey building replete with a 200 m² open-plan dining area. Credit: Dossier Centre
It is not clear how the outlet’s journalists managed to avoid security to gain access to the grounds. Normally, it is only accessible via boat or aircraft.
A large raised embankment which could be used to station an air defence system is located at the back of the main property.
Vehicle tracks started appearing on the site shortly after it was constructed two years ago, further adding to the suggestion of surface-to-air missile systems being stationed there.
Putin’s residences across Russia are known to be protected by air-defence systems whenever he visits.
A satellite photo of Putin’s hideaway near Finland.Credit: Dossier Centre
The Karelia estate was financed via companies linked to the Russian president’s associates and Kremlin-friendly oligarchs, the Dossier Centre claimed.
It said the owner of the estate was listed as Yury Kovalchuk, the chairman of Bank Rossiya, described by the US treasury as Putin’s “personal banker”.
He is said to run a network that looks after “the president’s leisure activities and all of his real estate”.
A nearby hotel is owned by Kovalchuk, while a neighbouring residence is owned by Roman Abramovich, the Western-sanctioned former owner of Chelsea Football Club.
The trout farm: Used to provide guests with fresh fish from the pristine, freshwater Lake Ladoga.Credit: Dossier Centre
Construction on the 1000-acre (4000 hectares) estate, which is roughly twice the size of Monaco, began more than 10 years ago.
Putin has very few assets declared in his name.
They include a small apartment in St Petersburg, two Soviet-era cars from the 1950s, a trailer and a small garage, alongside his presidential salary of about £110,000 a year.
Russian President Vladimir Putin.Credit: AP
After Dossier Centre’s report emerged, the head of Putin’s presidential campaign said on Tuesday that the majority of the Russian leader’s savings were made up of his annual salary.
Telegraph, London
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