Vladimir Putin has totally demolished one of his main palaces amid claims he is now scared to spend time at his favourite Black Sea boltholes that sit within range of Ukraine’s kamikaze drones.
The Russian President, who turns 72 today, is ‘truly afraid’ of being killed by an unmanned projectile piloted by Kyiv, a new investigation by independent media outlet Proekt has claimed.
In recent years Putin has frequently visited Stalin-designed Bocharov Ruchey palace overlooking the Black Sea in Sochi.
He also boasts a £1 billion private clifftop retreat to the northwest in Gelendzhik, often likened to the lair of a James Bond villain thanks to its entertainment-packed upper stories concealing a network of tunnels and bunkers below ground.
These lavish homes were seen as his ‘love nests’, with independent media speculating that the Russian President embarked on getaways with his secret partner, former Olympic gymnast Alina Kabaeva, 41, and their two young children.
But it has emerged that the Bocharov Ruchey palace was suddenly bulldozed, with fresh satellite pictures obtained by Proekt showing the site has been reduced to an earth pit.
The report claimed that Putin has shunned Sochi and the Krasnodar region since last year, when Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian territory began in earnest.
Ukrainian aerial attacks have hit various targets in both the Sochi and Gelendzhik areas, prompting the Russian President to forego his usual trips to the regions despite evidence his palaces are guarded with sophisticated air defence systems.
Bocharov Ruchey is said to have been flattened in February and March of this year.
The Proekt report stated: ‘The [Bocharov Ruchey] building was demolished to the ground. A lot of questions remain.
‘First of all, why did a luxurious residence need to be demolished given it had been renovated 10 years ago?
‘The answer is, probably, obvious… Because of drone attacks, the president is afraid of being on the Black Sea coast of Krasnodar region.’
The report added: ‘In 2023, Putin felt a threat to his physical safety and got scared. A Putin acquaintance confirmed to Proekt that the president is truly afraid to fly south.’
In 2013, Putin used Bocharov Ruchey to host then-UK premier David Cameron for talks.
One theory is that Putin has demolished the place and is using the war as an excuse to build a new and more luxurious palace at the site of a building completed by former Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev.
A new development could have superior bunker facilities for the Russian leader whose paranoia over potential attempts on his life has grown significantly since the invasion of Ukraine.
Proekt underscored that the Russian people have not been informed about the demolishing of Bocharov Ruchey, given the residences linked to Putin are located in protected areas.