Activists have uncovered a veritable "costa del corruption", with President Vladimir Putin's purported palace at its heart. The discovery sheds light on a web of prime real estate belonging to some of the leader's most loyal supporters, including his personal banker, several billionaire oligarchs and the head of the Russian Orthodox Church. Click or scroll through for a tour of this controversial shoreline, replete with lavish mansions and dachas, sprawling vineyards and other assets Vlad and his inner circle would rather you didn't know about...

Opposition leader Alexei Navalny exposed the alleged Putin Palace in a viral video released in January 2021 after he was thrown in jail by the Russian authorities. Open Media, the activist news platform backed by exiled Kremlin critic Mikhail Khodorkovsky, then took up where Navalny left off and spilled the beans on the Putin Riviera. Needless to say, the organisation has since been reportedly silenced and shut down.

The jewel of the Putin Riviera, the 190,000-square-foot giga-mansion is said to be a home of President Putin himself, and reportedly cost a staggering $1.4 billion (£1.2bn) to build. Designed by Italian architect Lanfranco Cirillo, who is under investigation in his home country for tax evasion, the palace is currently undergoing reconstruction.

Mould is said to have plagued the building, which appears to have been completely overhauled several times, according to the BBC. The Navalny activists investigation created mockups of the interiors and uncovered photos of the property before its latest revamp. Opulence abounds in the luxuriously appointed rooms, which are dripping with gold leaf and expensive furniture, with a single dining chair estimated to have cost $10,300 (£9.1k).

The palace, which sits on an estate 39 times the size of Monaco, boasts a wealth of amenities, from a stunning pool, "aqua-disco" and underground ice rink, to a louche lap-dancing lounge, ornate theatre, enormous entertainment complex (pictured), helipad and Byzantine-style church. Ownership of the property has been claimed by Putin's childhood friend and erstwhile judo partner, the billionaire oligarch Arkady Rotenberg, though critics dispute this.

Rotenberg says the palace is being converted into an aparthotel, but activists aren't buying it. In the meantime, the construction tycoon is reported to have set aside 119 hectares of the estate for hunting grounds, which will likely feature a high-end lodge, perhaps similar to the one Putin allegedly owns in Siberia, which cost around $100 million (£87m).

Moving up the picturesque Black Sea coast from the Putin Palace, which is located on a headland called Cape Idokopas, the first property you come across is a complex of dachas (Russian holiday homes) and a bathhouse, reported to ultimately belong to the family of former agriculture minister and ex-governor of the local region, Alexander Tkachov, according to the Russian news site openmedia.io. 

Located in the dinky village of Praskoveyevka, the buildings are said to be relatively modest, but are worth a pretty penny nonetheless given the real estate values in the area, which can be eye-watering. That said, the politician is also purportedly linked to one of the Putin Riviera's most spectacular properties, the Château de Talu.

The winery, which wows with a regal French Renaissance-style castle, is situated nearby in the outskirts of the resort town of Gelendzhik and is majority owned by Tkachov's ex-wife according to openmedia.io. However, there are rumours oligarch Roman Abramovich, the former proprietor of Chelsea FC, is looking to buy it. All in all, the Tkachov family's holdings on the Black Sea coast have an estimated value of at least $21 million (£18m).

Back to the village of Praskoveyevka, a holiday complex reportedly belonging to logistics tycoon and former deputy of the State Duma Sergey Shishkarev is located a stone's throw away from Tkachov's dachas. The Putin associate, who Forbes estimated to be worth $800 million (£690m), supposedly fell in love with the place after holidaying there in Soviet times.

The sizeable remote complex is hidden within a dense pine forest, making it completely inaccessible, so the activists weren't able to photograph any of the buildings. Exactly how much these structures cost is anyone's guess, but the land on which they were built and the surrounding grounds alone have been valued in the region of $19.6 million (£16.9m).

Continuing up the Black Sea coast from Praskoveyevka, the next port of call is the village of Divnomorskoye. As you approach, the magnificent dacha belonging to the head of the Russian Orthodox Church comes into view. Described as Putin's Rasputin by critics, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow has declared the president's regime “a miracle of God” and is one of the staunchest supporters of the invasion of Ukraine.

Construction of the villa began in 2005 and it was completed in 2012. Billed as a spiritual and cultural centre for the Holy Synod, the palatial property is rumoured to be Patriarch Kirill's holiday home, according to openmedia.io. Locals have reportedly taken to calling it the 'Patriarch's Dacha'.

As you can see, activists managed to get hold of several photos of the villa as it was undergoing construction. The traditional Russian-meets-neo-classical manse certainly looks the part and no doubt met with the patriarch's approval. Thought to be a billionaire, the top cleric reportedly owns a slew of premium real estate, a superyacht, fleet of luxury cars and other trappings of extreme wealth, according to a Proekt investigation.

The patriarch has proven to be something of an unwelcome visitor. When he graces the dacha with his presence, fishing boats are said to be banned from going to sea and coastal restaurants can't play music lest they disturb him, openmedia.io activists report. Locals have reportedly written to the church to complain about the restrictions, but their protests have been ignored.

The patriarch and his staff have seemingly been extra careful to conceal the costs associated with the residence and have bent over backwards to stop photos being released, with security around the site extra-tight. There are no images of the interiors in the public domain, so there's no way of knowing what they look like. But some pointers have emerged.

In 2012, Italian newspaper Il Giorno reported that premium Italian furniture company Jumbo Collection had collaborated with Russian designer Marina Putilovskaja to furnish the patriarch's meeting room in Moscow. Perhaps then Kirill also turned to the firm to outfit his coastal retreat.

One thing's for certain, it certainly wouldn't have been cheap, with the company's showy rococo-inspired offerings retailing for tens of thousands of euros apiece. In addition to the dacha, Kirill's Black Sea property reportedly includes an indoor pool, pine forests, 70 hectares of vineyards and a winery, making it quite the holding. In fact, the entire estate is rumoured to be worth a whopping $360 million (£312m).

The 323-hectare Divnomorskoye Estate just to the north of the village must undoubtedly be worth even more. Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation claims that the vast property belongs to Putin and is part of his palace. A contractor working there called it "Dima's Dacha", implying the complex is owned by former Russian PM and president Dmitry Medvedev. But openmedia.io believes that the complex is under the ownership of Gennady Timchenko (pictured) and Vladimir Kolbin.

Billionaire oligarch Timchenko has reportedly been a close friend of the president since the early 1990s, while Kolbin is the son of the Russian leader's childhood friend. Putin is said to have become obsessed with growing grapes and making fine wine, so it stands to reason he could be the ultimate owner, such is his avid interest in the field.

The amenity-heavy complex is certainly fit for a president. Its facilities are a major cut above what you'd expect to find in a Russian winery and are on a parallel with—or even superior to—those attached to the finest French estates, such as Château Lafite-Rothschild and Château Margaux.

For starters, there are the magnificent vineyards and winery itself, which spans 86,000 square feet. Blending seamlessly into the landscape, the state-of-the-art semi-subterranean construction has an undulating green roof and looks somewhat similar to the underground sports complex on the Putin Palace estate, which houses an ice rink.

According to the winery's website, classical music is played around the clock to improve the quality of the wine. The château, tasting house and spa complex are especially splendid. Made up of two contemporary mega-mansions that wouldn't look out of place in Beverly Hills' most salubrious zip codes, the property overlooks the Black Sea and offers the perfect place to sample the estate's wines, which are reportedly served at all Kremlin state functions.

Zooming in on the château, it's obvious the 26,000-square-foot property was built for a VIP. The luxurious residence features multiple terraces, meticulously landscaped gardens, an artificial lake and a circular pool. And though there aren't any pictures of the interiors, it is safe to assume that no expense was spared decking them out.

The adjacent spa is also top-of-the-line and huge. To cap it all off, the openmedia.io activists discovered the estate is reportedly getting a further upgrade in the form of a sensational private water park. Examining the latest satellite photos courtesy of Google, the opulent amenity appears to be taking shape to the front of the spa building.

Moving a little further up the coast, Gelendzhik, the biggest town on the Putin Riviera, is purportedly home to the summer residence of Yuri Kovalchuk, the billionaire financier dubbed "Putin's personal banker". Like most of the figures in this round-up, Kovalchuk is under Western sanctions at present.

The semi-underground property is similar in design to both the Divnomorskoye Estate's winery building and Putin Palace's subterranean sports complex and ice rink. Indeed, Kovalchuk's compound may have even been designed by the same person. For instance, the fugitive Italian architect behind the Putin Palace has said he has designed around 43 properties for Russian billionaires.

The ultra-modern residence sits on 70 hectares and sprawls over almost 73,000 square feet. Again, the activists didn't manage to get hold of many decent photos of the property, apart from a couple they were able to capture from the street. Even then, you can't make much out as the fortress-like estate is encircled with high fences and foliage to avert prying eyes.

What we do know is that the mega-mansion rocks panoramic glass walls and a huge green roof kitted out with what appears to be the biggest pool for miles around. According to openmedia.io, the residence and the land it's built on are worth a staggering $204 million (£177m). 

South of the Putin Palace, in the village of Krinitsa, lies the impressive Old Provence Estate. Reporters at openmedia.io say the property is owned by double act Gennady Timchenko and Vladimir Kolbin (pictured), who have been busily amassing something of a wine-making empire, having also bought major vineyards in Crimea (in addition to the Divnomorskoye Estate, of course).

Navalny activists, on the other hand, again claim the estate belongs to Putin, and it's likely his in all but name. The property came to the attention of activists after a prominent eco campaigner, who was said to be investigating the new facility's environmental impact, was reportedly beaten. 

Like the Divnomorskoye Estate, Old Provence is no ordinary winery. As activists delving into the property and its ownership discovered, a crazy amount of money has been spent on the 140-hectare domain. As well as footing hefty landscaping costs, the owners have splurged on an array of buildings designed in a posh French neo-classical style.

These buildings include the obligatory château, the winery itself, tasting rooms and more. Construction was still ongoing in 2020 when Navalny's team investigated the estate and alleged it was costing $49 million (£42m) a year. Who knows what the total bill for this Rolls-Royce of wine estates came to?

One of the key buildings on the site, the winery itself really is something special and makes its counterpart on the Divnomorskoye Estate look humble by comparison. The sums of cash that have been spent furnishing the winery are pretty jaw-dropping, to say the least. Navalny activists actually unearthed customs declarations for the company supplying the property.

The long list of super-expensive objects, all sourced from Italy, reportedly includes a Gold Moon Chandelier by renowned designer lighting firm Catellani & Smith, an absolutely exquisite decorative piece handcrafted by the firm's exceptionally skilled artisans. It was snapped up for around $44,000 (£38k) according to Navalny.

Almost as expensive was the cone-shaped vase ordered from Italian custom glassmaking firm Vetreria Bazzanese, coming in at $42,000 (£37k). Also on the list was an M Group sofa with 20 cushions costing $49,000 (£42k), not to mention a bespoke Brenta Imperial coffee table with a melted metal finish, which may look similar to this table tennis table. Even the property's toilet brush is rumoured to have set the owner back $1,000 (£872).

Another money-no-object purchase was the domain's Byzantine-style church, which is similar in style to the one on the Putin Palace estate. According to activists, the entire structure was imported from Greece and had to be transported brick-by-brick, which—just like the building itself—must have cost a fortune.

The final properties in this tour of the Putin Riviera are the campsite, dacha and hunting grounds alleged to belong to billionaire oligarch Oleg Deripaska. Incidentally, Deripaska has been sanctioned to the hilt by the West and one of his associates, Graham Bonham-Carter (a second cousin of actress Helena), was recently indicted in the US for allegedly helping him evade the restrictions.

The billionaire and his family reportedly own a coastal campsite that is in the process of being transformed into what could be a mega-mansion or other flash development. Activists have said the 16.5-hectare site has been sealed off and it's probable the bulldozers have already moved in. The oligarch has another, much bigger property a little further up the coast near the village of Betta.

Locals purportedly call the compound 'Deripaska's Dacha'. Again, it's well hidden from the road. The Deripaska family's holdings stretch well beyond the dacha though. In total, the clan is said to own 18,800 hectares of hunting grounds in the area that could be worth as much as $114 million (£98m). Money is obviously not in short supply amongst Putin's inner circle.

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