Putin’s Valdai residence holiday house demolished as speculation grows over drone attack fears
One of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin’s residences at the Valdai compound in Russia’s Novgorod region has been demolished. The large mansion, known as the "holiday house," disappeared from the sprawling estate, although the Kremlin has given no explanation for its removal.
As reported by Obozrevatel, OSINT researchers from the CyberBoroshno project identified the demolition after analysing recent satellite imagery, which showed the building had been completely removed from the compound.
"The reason for this remains unknown, but we can assume it was done to avoid the political embarrassment that would come if the residence were destroyed by Ukrainian drones," the researchers remarked sarcastically.
The Valdai residence, also known as "Uzhin" or "Long Beards," occupies around 250 hectares on the shores of Lake Valdai. According to previous investigations, the land is officially under the permanent use of Russia’s Federal Protective Service (FSO), while part of the property is privately owned by Yuri Kovalchuk, a close Putin ally often described as the Russian president’s personal financier. Russia’s Presidential Property Management Department reportedly leases that section of the estate, meaning state funds are paid to Kovalchuk.
The demolished holiday house was only one of many buildings within the complex.
A 2021 investigation by Russia’s Anti-Corruption Foundation claimed the estate also includes a Chinese-style guest pavilion, cottages, gazebos, bathhouses, a sauna, stables, a golf course, a mini-golf course, a VIP restaurant with a cinema, bowling alley, billiards room and mini-casino, a separate beer restaurant, a large spa complex and even a Russian Orthodox church, among numerous other facilities.
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