Rumours concerning Vladimir Putin's health have swirled for years, but on 26 October, the most shocking allegation yet emerged, claiming that the Russian leader had died at his palatial home on Lake Valdai. The announcement was made on an anonymous Telegram channel – said to be run by a 'former Kremlin lieutenant-general'. While the Kremlin rebuffed the rumours as nonsense, the claims have pushed the health of the Russian president and the secretive world he inhabits firmly into the international spotlight.

Click or scroll on to find out more about the mysterious goings on at Putin's fortified forest palace...

"Attention! At the moment, there is an attempted coup d'état in Russia!" the announcement from Telegram channel General SVR read. "Russian President Vladimir Putin died tonight at his residence in Valdai. At 20:42 p.m. Moscow time, the doctors stopped resuscitation and pronounced him dead... Any attempt to pass off a double as the president after Putin's death is a coup."

The following day, the Kremlin strongly denied the report. Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov (pictured) told state-owned newswire Sputnik – formerly RIA Novosti, which is banned in the EU – that the report of Putin's death was a "hoax" and that the rumour of a doppelgänger taking his place was "an absurd information canard," according to The Moscow Times. 

It's the second time in the space of a week that the Kremlin has been forced to rebuff claims about Putin's health. 

The same Telegram channel recently alleged Putin had suffered a "cardiac arrest" in his bedroom. On 23 October, they posted: "Yesterday, at about 21:05 Moscow time, security officers of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who were on duty at the residence, heard noise and sounds of falling coming from the president's bedroom. Two security officers immediately followed the president's bedroom and saw Putin lying on the floor next to the bed and an overturned table with food and drinks."

The post claims that medics resuscitated and stabilised the Russian president before he was moved to a "specially equipped room in his residence", akin to an "intensive care unit", to recover. 

On 24 October, a subsequent Telegram post alleged Putin's "unexpectedly well-coiffed" double was taking calls with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, while Putin lay in his at-home medical facility "connected to equipment that monitors his vital parameters", his prospects "not optimistic."

Responding to the rumours of the heart attack, Peskov stated: "Everything is fine with him, this is another canard, absolutely". He added: "There are no doubles", going on to reveal that the rumours only cause a "smile" in the Kremlin. 

In June, Japanese TV network TBS used AI technology to analyse Putin's features and concluded that the dictator uses one or even two body doubles. Valery Solovey, former professor at Moscow's prestigious Institute of International Relations, also believes the Russian premiere is "nearing the end of his earthly life" and has been replaced by actors, according to the Daily Mail.

Despite the allegations, Putin was pictured here leading a meeting with top security officials in Moscow on 30 October.

Speculation that the Russian president has either blood, thyroid or colon cancer, as well as Parkinson's disease, has been rife, even before Russia waged its ill-advised war on Ukraine. In April, unverified news sources alleged he had suffered a "temporary nervous breakdown" due to a change in cancer drugs, The Mirror reported. Observers have noted Putin's puffy face, which is particularly noticeable in this photo taken in May 2022. That same month, an unnamed oligarch with close ties to the leader was reportedly recorded saying Putin was "very ill with blood cancer".

In April 2021, independent Russian news outlet Proekt claimed to have unearthed evidence that Putin was visited by an oncologist 35 times over four years, spending a total of 166 days with him. 

Kremlin officials have repeatedly denied the stories. In July 2022, the former director of the CIA stated there was no intelligence to indicate Putin was in bad health, joking that the despot was "entirely too healthy".

Amid the recent apparent hoax regarding Putin's death and its subsequent cover-up, General SVR alleged that the secretary of Russia's Security Council, Nikolai Patrushev (pictured), would be the likely candidate to replace Putin. Unsurprisingly, the Kremlin has not addressed the claims that Russia is "really led" by Patrushev.

Intriguingly, the same source alleges that the installation of Putin's double in the wake of his Kremlin-denied 'death' has been agreed to by his daughters Maria Vorontsova and Katerina Tikhonova – who reportedly still have bedrooms at their father's Valdai palace – in exchange for high-up political positions. It's hardly surprising that these colourful, outlandish claims have made headlines across the world.

Read on to step inside Putin's alleged palace on Lake Valdai, the backdrop of these strange allegations...

No longer shrouded in mystery, Vladimir Putin's alleged 'secret' dacha on Lake Valdai, located between Moscow and St Petersburg, was kept firmly under the radar until 2021, when anti-corruption activists exposed it to the world. More recently, details of the despot's purported private railway and station emerged, as well as images offering a glimpse inside the luxurious main mansion.

Click or scroll on for a tour of the shady estate that Putin really doesn't want you to know about. 

While the Russian dictator is known to keep his cards close to his chest, two key investigations have offered a glimpse behind the gilded doors of Putin's rumoured mansion in the woods.

In April 2021, activists from the organisation headed by jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny released a shocking video revealing new details and extraordinary photographs of the forest palace.

Following these revelations, investigative journalists from independent news site Proekt published a further exposé on the property in February 2023, including never-before-seen interior images of Putin's alleged retreat. Let's find out more about the Lake Valdai site and delve into what the investigations uncovered...

Lake Valdai, in the Novgorod region of north-western Russia, is home to a number of islands – the 17th-century Valday Iversky Monastery, pictured here, occupies one of the isles. Putin's property is situated to the east on a forested peninsula separating Lake Valdai from Lake Uzhin. The Russian government owns part of the land on the peninsula, which is classified as an official presidential residence. The acreage was originally acquired by the Soviets as a retreat for Stalin in the 1930s, dubbed Stalin's Dacha.

However, according to Navalny.com activists, Putin's alleged compound isn't located on government land. A self-contained village, the collection of around 80 buildings is situated on a 100-hectare holding that encompasses the southern part of the peninsula, along with a sliver of land spanning the western part and a swathe to the south of the peninsula.

So, who owns the non-government land? According to activists, it belongs to Yuri Kovalchuk, the billionaire financier dubbed "Putin's personal banker". The Navalny campaigners assert that the site is owned by a company under the control of Kovalchuk called Prime, which exists solely to collect the rent. A total of 2.7 billion roubles ($29m/£24m) is said to have been stumped up by the Russian government between 2011 and 2021 to lease the land and buildings.

The Navalny activists maintain that the property is Kovalchuk's in name only and that Putin is the real owner, though this has not been officially confirmed by the Kremlin.

The compound encompasses an array of structures, from a palace to guesthouses, rustic wood cabins, a Chinese pavilion, a state-of-the-art spa complex and an exquisitely constructed Russian Orthodox church, as well as a restaurant, cinema, bowling alley, billiard room and mini casino.

The story goes that the president supposedly fell in love with the place in the early 2000s and made arrangements in 2003 to have Kovalchuk acquire the deeds of the plot before commissioning an impressive array of buildings.

The most palatial of the structures is Putin's rumoured country mansion, which sits hidden among the pine trees. While not as monumentally grand as the infamous Putin Palace on the Black Sea coast, the 38,000-square-foot residence is exceptionally elaborate nonetheless. 

The Navalny activists pulled out all the stops to get hold of a few images of the exterior, released in their 2021 report. They no doubt bent over backwards to try to source images of the interior, but to no avail. Seemingly corroborating the Navalny.com probe, Proekt's investigative team later revealed a deluge of photographs of the main palace in their 2023 investigation. It's clear to see that images from both organisations depict the same ornate building. 

Even before Russia's invasion of Ukraine, security at the remote estate was said to be exceedingly tight. Encircled by dense woodland on the banks of the water, the grounds reportedly swarm with Federal Security Service (FSB) agents, while guards patrol the perimeter of the compound. Boats and other vessels are banned from the lake when Putin is in residence and a no-fly zone is likely imposed too.

Thanks to Proekt, we can take a look inside the clandestine palace. Their report included photographs of the mansion's secretive interior sourced from a contractor, which were independently verified by their team. According to the Daily Mail, Putin was said to be furious about the leaked images and information, which were published on 28 February 2023.

As you can see from this shot of what the Proekt journalists have dubbed the golden living room, the palace is very grand indeed. 

The rooms were initially starkly modern in design, but they were completely remodelled at Putin's insistence to resemble the opulent Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg. This is what Proekt calls the silver living room, which is graced with a reproduction Louis XVI three-piece suite, heavy shiny grey curtains, a glittering chandelier and other pricey touches.

Proekt has christened this space the white dining room. Elaborately ornate, the décor is obviously a take on the room of the same name in St Petersburg's Hermitage Museum. While it lacks framed tapestries like its inspiration, the reproduction features no end of gilded finishes, covings and Grecian-style columns.

Staying with the palace's reception rooms, the elegant music lounge is next. It features a Petrof 280-size concert grand piano in pristine white, which reportedly sells for around $158,000 (£130k). Putin certainly didn't scrimp when it came to decorating his alleged Lake Valdai escape.

While his ill-equipped troops fight it out in Russia's illegal war in Ukraine, the Kremlin boss is rumoured to direct the conflict from this office when in residence at the country palace. Illuminated by gilded chandeliers, the room is loaded with marquetry inlay furniture, including a vast desk and a boardroom table.

One of the more unusual spaces in the property, this room was called the "night cellar" by builders working on the project, according to Proekt. By the looks of it, the space could be a wine or vodka tasting room or perhaps a games room for poker or cards. Gilded chairs take pride of place and the room is crowned with a chandelier caked in gold leaf petals that guests can tear off and keep as mementos of their visit.

The Valdai palace's sweeping staircase and third-floor landing with its Grecian-style columns are shown here. The Proekt team's extensive investigation was impressively thorough and they were even able to get their hands on detailed plans of the property's floor plan, adding to the probe's credibility. 

This is reportedly Putin's Second Empire-style bedroom, which, interestingly, looks similar to Napoleon III's Grand Salon in the Louvre. In keeping with the other spaces in the palace, the room, which has its very own balcony, features plenty of high-end furnishings and gold accents.

According to Proekt, this slightly less ornate bedroom once belonged to Putin's ex-wife Lyudmila Putina, who was married to the despot for three decades.

The couple divorced in 2013, but the union was reportedly on the rocks for years, especially since the authoritarian leader is rumoured to have begun an extra-marital affair with former gymnast Alina Kabaeva in 2008. More on her in a bit.

In addition to securing images of Putin and his ex-wife's bedrooms, Proekt was also able to source images of the bedrooms of the former couple's two daughters, Maria and Katerina Putina. This bedroom in luxe green was designed for one of their offspring, though it's unclear which one. Again, the room is sumptuously appointed, with reproduction antique furniture and plenty of gold accents.

Here's the other bedroom, which has a blue colour scheme. Note the French Second Empire-style sideboard, crystal chandelier and candelabras. A vaulted, barrel ceiling adorned with intricate woodwork frames the space. As is the case with the other bedrooms, the only signs of modernity are a pair of discreet tower speakers.

Taking up the entire lower floor of the dacha is a high-end leisure space, where Putin and his associates are rumoured to relax and unwind. The level boasts a swimming pool, hammam, Jacuzzi and massage table. However, this isn't the only spa complex on the wider Valdai estate, as you will discover shortly.

Putin is purported to have "several" children with gymnast-turned-politician Alina Kabaeva. According to Proekt, the autocrat has built his girlfriend and their offspring a sprawling wooden mansion on the wider Valdai estate, which is located around half a mile from the palace.

Kabaeva has notched up an impressive property portfolio since she reportedly got together with the dictator, including a penthouse in Sochi, Proekt alleges.

Navalny.com published a photo of a children's playground hidden in the woods and brimming with fun amenities. According to Proekt's investigation, this was built for Putin's alleged brood of kids. Note the sun design in blue and yellow. Chances are it's been painted over, given that these are the colours of the Ukrainian flag.

This combination of hues has been effectively cancelled in Russia since the start of the invasion, with blue and yellow colour schemes wiped the nation over.

The palace and the wooden mansion are of course only two of a number of extravagant buildings within the compound. Putin and his family, both official and secret, really are spoilt for choice. They can choose to bunk down in a plethora of luxe spaces and take advantage of myriad amenities worthy of a five-star resort.

Just to the south of Putin's country palace is one of the standout structures in the compound, an enchanting Chinese-style pavilion, which is situated on its very own little bay. A whimsical addition to the estate, it looks like it could have been transplanted from the Forbidden City in Beijing.

Within close proximity are a Chinese-style timber bridge, a gazebo that echoes the design of the pavilion and a barbecue area. Though not as concealed as the palace, the pavilion is pretty hidden from the lake. But that didn't stop the Navalny activists from getting hold of a crisp, hi-res shot of the structure.

Here's the pavilion in all its glory. The custom-design building has all the authentic detailing, including guardian lions, decorative window screens, a hip-and-gable roof and carved stone pillars. Constructed in 2007, it certainly wouldn't have come cheap given the quality of the materials and expertise involved.

The Navalny activists have no idea what purpose the pavilion serves and have suggested it could be a guesthouse. But looking at this photo of the central room, which is dominated by a traditional Chinese dining table, it's more probable the space is used as a teahouse or dining space, especially since the barbecue is located a mere stone's throw away.

Now for the compound's pièce de résistance. The activists who first revealed details of the presidential retreat were surprised by the scale of the facility. No ordinary spa complex, they describe the building as Putin's alleged “temple of asceticism”, but it's actually more about indulgence than abstinence.

Putin's rumoured pamper palace spans over 75,000 square feet and rocks three levels, two of which are underground. This is the place where the Kremlin boss allegedly heads to relax with a massage, mud bath or swim, receive beauty treatments in secrecy, have his teeth whitened and tan his skin with a sunbed session.

What the activists call the “epicentre of asceticism” is the main massage room. Located underground, the basement space is kitted out with expensive equipment and furnishings, including a four-poster massage daybed and a Thai massage platform, as you can see from these renders the campaigners obtained.

On the other side of the room is this calming area for Swedish-style massage. No expense was spared on the treatment bed, which takes pride of place under the mood lighting. The despot must have only the best, of course, no matter the cost, and this reportedly extends to the couch he supposedly likes to lie on when he's getting a rubdown.

Having managed to secure plans for the spa, the Navalny campaigners were able to pinpoint the company selling the treatment bed and hence work out how much it's rumoured to have cost. Unsurprisingly, the ultra high-end Liege Balance bed by German wellness company Ionto is one of the priciest on the market and was purchased for the equivalent of around $11,000 (£9k).

The saltwater float pool is located on the same floor, along with another 82-foot swimming pool. There's also said to be a cryotherapy chamber on the level, which is set at a bone-chilling -110°C (-166°F), as well as a mud therapy room, sauna and hammam, lymphatic pressure room, massage tubs, fully equipped dental surgery, solarium and cosmetologist room. 

The lowest storey of the spa complex is a service floor, but the ground level offers a massive hall and an even bigger living room that looks onto a spectacular supersized aquarium.

This shot of party lights on the peninsula shows a bash in full swing. Putin is especially fond of private concerts put on by his favourite Soviet-era pop stars such as Natalia Vetlitskaya, Philipp Kirkorov and Grigory Leps, though like many Russians of his age he is also partial to some ABBA. However, he had to settle on tribute band Björn Again, who were reportedly flown in for a personal concert in 2009.

One such visitor, the saxophonist Igor Butman, said he was once summoned to the compound, according to the Navalny activists' viral video. Upon arriving with a police escort, he says that he was taken to Putin, who was kicking back in this traditional Russian log cabin or izba as they are called, and the pair shared a drink of potent Samogon moonshine.

Like something out of a Russian fairytale, the romantic chalet is resplendent with gorgeous, fanciful gingerbread trimming, incorporating traditional motifs, intricately carved shutters, a dreamy porch and dinky balconies. Like the other buildings within the compound, the construction costs are likely to have been steep.

Elsewhere, the compound's on-site VIP restaurant has a cinema, bowling alley, billiard room and mini-casino, but the Navalny activists could only get hold of some renders of the gambling space. Decorated in a flashy baroque style, the mini-casino is not all that mini in fact, and is well-stocked with games tables and other casino essentials.

Putin's alleged casino boasts gaudy gold details a-plenty, imposing crystal chandeliers, a gilded vaulted ceiling, sumptuous red velvet curtains and chairs and even a carpet adorned with playing card motifs. The Russian leader certainly doesn't appear to do things by halves, that's for sure.

Moving on, the compound's other buildings include saunas, Russian bathhouses, a beer restaurant and a lot more besides. The Navalny activists didn't specify what this particular structure is used for, but it could house the estate's ice rink, which is said to measure a whopping 26,700 square feet.

Part of the building is shown in this shot obtained by the Navalny campaigners. The compound is purportedly Putin's haven of relaxation, rather than a place to conduct official state business.

The Kremlin head-honcho is rumoured to have recovered from a bout of flu here in 2015 and is said to have spent much of lockdown at the residence, on top of his frequent but more brief visits.

That said, Putin's close political associates at home and his closest friends abroad have received coveted invites to spend time with the Russian leader at his favourite dacha.

Late former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi was hosted by Putin at the compound on not one but two occasions. This picture of the pair fishing in the lake was taken during the second visit in 2010.

The flamboyant Italian PM's first visit in 2009 was more eventful. During his stay, Berlusconi and Putin donned orange life jackets and had a ride on a speedboat.

A demonstration flight in a Beriev Be-200 amphibious aircraft was also on the agenda, but according to the Navalny activists, Putin declined to take to the sky, leaving Berlusconi to experience the plane on his own.

The monastery cathedral is a short drive away from the compound, but Putin reportedly has his own Russian Orthodox church on the site to save him the trip. Fittingly, it's called Vladimirskaya, though the name probably refers to Our Lady of Vladimir rather than the president. The log church is very pretty indeed.

The rustic log walls sport the most wonderful decorative flourishes painted in bright hues, while the domes are clad in shimmery gold leaf. An icon of Jesus Christ adorns the front of the church above the entrance, and the whole shebang is crowned by an octagonal bell tower. The place of worship isn't actually an original design, though.

Putin's alleged church is a copy of the wooden church of the Feodorovskaya Icon of the Mother of God in the historic Russian city of Kirov, but is a tad more ornate than the original. Built in 1913 to mark the 300th anniversary of the royal House of Romanov, the original church was destroyed by Soviet officials in 1962 and subsequently reconstructed.

Meanwhile, with Putin's war in Ukraine not going quite as planned, the embattled leader will in all likelihood be spending even more time destressing at his extravagant country sanctuary. The leader can play golf to his heart's content on the compound's sprawling course located south of the peninsula. 

According to Proekt, a secret railway line and guarded station kitted out with a heliport are also located near Putin's rumoured Valdai palace. Going by satellite imagery, the facility appears to have been built around 2019.

A former train driver who spoke with the online publication claimed to have seen Putin’s special train travelling on the line, and said that recent repairs had only been made to the stretch of track that led directly to Putin’s supposed Valdai property.

Proekt also unearthed evidence that suggests the railway station is part of a larger transport network that connects a number of Putin’s alleged residences in this region to this private terminal at Moscow-Kalanchevskaya station.

The news outlet says that the covert train line allows the autocrat to travel safely between his properties via an armoured train. Along with the Valdai station, Proekt has identified at least two other locations via satellite imagery where covert stations may be situated.

Putin has also reportedly installed a Pantsir-S1 defence system near his lavish palace, as shown in this image, shared on Telegram by independent Russian news outlet Sirena. First spotted in January, the system has a rotating radar antenna and is manned by three servicemen, according to a report by Russian media outlet Agentstvo Novosti.

The Pantsir-S1 uses self-propelled, medium-range surface-to-air missiles and anti-artillery systems to protect single objects, such as a building, from cruise missiles, drones, aircraft, helicopters and precision munitions. Putin has also reportedly set up a Pantsir-S1 system close to his official residence near Moscow.

As well as an elaborate defence system, sources have claimed that the Lake Valdai estate hides a survival bunker where Putin can shelter in times of turbulence.

Back in late June, when the Wagner Group staged a coup and marched on Moscow, Putin critic and billionaire businessman Leonid Nevzlin claimed that the Russian leader retreated to a bunker on the property, along with some of his closest allies. "The dictator is in panic", Nevzlin wrote on X. 

The mutiny ultimately failed, and the mercenary group's leader, Prigozhin, died in August in a mysterious plane crash. But Nevzlin's claims were the first public mention of a bunker at the estate. The sprawling acreage is peppered with an array of residences and structures, so the bunker's exact location is difficult to pinpoint. 

As the Russian president lies low and finds more furtive ways to navigate his substantial real estate collection below the radar, the man dubbed ‘Putin’s architect’ has spoken out about a noticeable shift amid Putin’s inner circle.

Lanfranco Cirillo, pictured here, the mastermind behind the lavish design of Putin’s rumoured Black Sea mansion, told The Times that Russia’s most prominent oligarchs are redirecting their gaze to the Middle and Far East. According to Cirillo, there is “rancour” towards the West over the sanctions imposed on the country’s richest since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. 

No longer splashing their cash in London and Paris, Russia’s billionaires are reportedly moving their wealth to Dubai, Vietnam, Thailand and the Maldives. 

“They say the West considers itself a chosen people, but the world is big,” Cirillo said. “The Arabic world is close to Russia and they are all here doing business. Dubai, now nicknamed Dubai-grad, now has one million Russian speakers, 10 per cent of the population”.

This shift is clear to see – the Italian properties of mining magnate Alisher Usmanov, pictured here with Putin, were seized by authorities in 2022. As oligarch-owned assets are frozen and confiscated across the West, the two regions are becoming increasingly isolated from each other.  “There is this idea that the Berlin Wall has fallen but the Kyiv Wall is going up,” Cirillo reveals. How's that for eye-opening?

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