24 March 2023 , 10:01
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Bombarded by Western sanctions, Vladimir Putin's main squeeze has scurried from the pristine streets of Lugano in Switzerland to hole up in a forest palace in Russia to hide their opulent lifestyle from public view.
Last year, as bombs rained down on Ukrainian cities from Kyiv to Kherson, Olympic gold medal-winning gymnast and Putin's rumoured bedfellow Alina Kabaeva sought refuge in a private chalet in the south of the country.
A far cry from Ukraine's rubble-cluttered streets, the roads of Lugano are spotlessly clean and weave between stores sporting high-end brands like Cartier, Gucci and Louis Vuitton - many of which stopped trading in Russia after Putin unleashed his troops on Moscow's western neighbour.
Though their partnership isn't official, Russian media has long reported that Kabaeva - once described as the country's "most flexible woman" - is Putin's mistress and the mother of his two sons and a daughter.
Kabaeva was once called the "most flexible woman in Russia" (The Asahi Shimbun via Getty Images)
Russian media has long reported that Kabaeva is Putin's mistress (Getty Images)She lives a life of luxury, largely shielded from the war crimes that her man is inflicting on innocent civilians, among them children.
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Switzerland was likely a calculated move as the country has a long history of hiding some of the world's dodgiest transactions.
A source in Lugano, close to the Italian border, said: “Before the coronavirus pandemic there was often gossip about Putin’s mistress being in town.
"They are known to have strong connections here, but anyone who knows them has been sworn to secrecy.
Lugano is home to countless high-end shopping stores and plenty of Russian residents (Adam Gerrard / Daily Mirror)“While Russia falls apart because of the sanctions, this is the perfect place for Putin to send Alina and their kids.”
High-end vehicles roll up and down the city's streets, which is heavily populated with mega-rich Russians, whose distinctive accent rings out over the predominantly Italian background chatter.
One observer last year said in the glistening Piazza Della Riforma, the country's main square, Kabaeva has been spotted on a number of occasions.
Other Russians sauntering around the tourist attraction include numerous grey-haired men with their statuesque supermodel girlfriends.
Kabaeva has been moved to Putin's residence in Valdai, Russia (Proekt/east2west news)It is a sedate place dominated by banks, pharmacies and designer goods, and restaurants with eye-wateringly expensive menus.
12 months later, and Kabaeva is holed up in a forest palace in Valdai under the guise of an "ecological move" after it emerged they'd been splurging taxpayer cash on their royal lifestyle.
The palace sits on an estate in the Valdai National Park, which is the size of the island of Malta.
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Kabaeva became an MP and also runs a vehemently pro-Putin media outlet (Getty Images)Meduza independent media outlet reported: "It suddenly became clear that part of the lake, on the shore of which the palaces are located, has become a 'specially protected natural area'.
"Now half of Valdai is completely closed to boats and vacationers, according to the official version -- because of the poor ecological condition."
The giant estate is guarded by a federal security service and penalties for encroachers include two years "correctional labour" and fines of up to £5,300.
Putin's boudoir at Valdai (Proekt/east2west news)Putin ordered the building of the 13,000 square feet property so that it would be fit for a "royal residence" after coming to power at the turn of the millennium and he wanted it styled "like St Petersburg" meaning lavish as it would have been for the Russian tsars.
The complex boasts a "huge spa complex with a solarium, a cryo-chamber, a 25-meter swimming pool, a hammam, a sauna, a mud room, massage baths, cosmetology and dentistry areas," Proekt reported.
An image shows Putin's study with ornate mahogany furniture while another shows gilded chairs around a glass table and a spherical chandelier, with golden leaves, hanging from the ceiling.
Concerns have been raised about the pair leading a lavish lifestyle at the Russian taxpayer's expense (Proekt/east2west news)Since its construction, the palace has had a boat dock and a large children's playground built on the property. In the summers of 2021, and 2022, a small karting track was set also up for the children, the outlet said.
The property also has a private and guarded railway station, which Putin and Kabaeva reportedly use to travel inconspicuously across the country.