If You're Russian Life is for Living, If You're Ukrainian Perhaps Not

"The investigation drew on documents provided by a whistleblower described as an executive in the business empire of one of the president's closest friends who was directly involved in managing a Cyprus-based company used as a slush fund."

"The whistleblower contacted the journalists as he was outraged by the invasion of Ukraine and said the Russian regime "must be stopped".

"The existence of  the villa was first reported in 2021 by the team of Russian-jailed opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who claimed budget funds were used to lease the property from Kovalchuk."

Nataliya Vasilyeva, The Daily Telegraph

Shrouded in mystery, Vladimir Putin's alleged 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. The outrageously luxurious, amenity-packed escape is purportedly the Kremlin boss's go-to retreat according to campaigners, and a recent report has even revealed rumours of a secret railway connecting the dacha to other properties in Putin's portfolio.  Navalny.com / Contributor / Getty Images

He lives a life of sumptuous luxury, as befits a Czar. Oh, that's right, Russia no longer has any czars, the Revolution changed all that. What it did not change, however, is human nature. Ironically, the Communist Revolution set out to do just that; change the elemental foundation of human nature, essentially from creatures that formed their societies through civilizational mores but accepting of humanity's hard-wired DNA among whose traits was that of personal property ownership converging on greed.

 

The Soviet system was meant to unite all of humanity under the broad umbrella of Communism where everything was shared by everyone without personal rewards linked to personal endeavour for personal reward. "From each according to his ability, to each according to his need".  It just didn't work out that way; neither collective farming, nor manufacturing under the new mantra produced the results that were anticipated.  With the assurance of personal rewards for personal effort gone, in favour of personal effort on behalf of community, the experiment failed.

 

The Navalny activists had to pull out all the stops to get hold of these few pics of the exterior, and no doubt bent over backward to try to source images of the interior, but to no avail. Security, as you'd imagine, is exceedingly tight, with the place swarming with secret service agents at the best of times. Navalny.com

 

That failure failed to resonate and convince the leaders of communism that it was an ideal unsuited to human nature. It was pure delusional idealism incompatible with humanity's drive to benefit oneself. People did not take to a system forcing them to forego personal wealth acquired through personal effort. On the other hand, those who were unproductive still had the advantage of receiving all the benefits of a system they did little to preserve and benefit.

 

As for the leaders, they saw no need to abnegate their own ambitions to the system they imposed on the great unwashed. After removing all those who had doubts about the capacity of communism to fulfill humanity's ambitions, and slaughtering the wealthy Kulaks who were loathe to surrender their personal property for the greater good of the whole, and the eradication of intellectuals who might question the usefulness of the revolution's purpose, along with political rivals, the leaders felt free to indulge their own penchant for personal goods attainment in stately dachas and a style of living denied the peasantry.

 

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 dacha, the pavilion is pretty hidden from the lake. But that didn't stop activists from getting hold of a crisp, hi-res shot of the structure.  Navalny.com

 

Subjugating their near neighbours in an octopus-hug of conflicted discipline to the communist cause and above all, to the welfare of Russia itself leading The United Soviet Socialist Republic (USSR) the party line was 'separate but equal'. Those eastern European nations caught in the iron grip of Soviet Russia and Josef Stalin's oversight were compelled to contributed their natural resources to the Russian maw. The goods produced were inferior, and but for the communist hierarchy, the population was mired in backwardness and poverty. 

Any satellite Soviet nations that sought to rebel against its captivity in the Soviet orbit soon learned that force would be employed and they would be no further ahead; there was no escape. Soviet Russia marched on other countries as predatory superpower. The history of Russia pre-Revolution was that of an irenic nation. Heavy-handed and heavy-booted, this is traditional Russia. And traditional Russia awoke from a slumber on February 24 of 2022 to invade its closest neighbour, Ukraine.

The result of which has been tens of thousands of deaths on the side of the would-be conquering invader and an equal number if not more among the invaded, but effectively defensive and counter-offensive Ukraine. Russia finds itself isolated on the world stage, condemned by all civilized nations and using its natural resource cudgel as punishment toward those nations that have become dependent on it in the last decades as a supplier of energy.

 

The deaths and the wholesale destruction of Ukraine's infrastructure in Russia's no-holds-barred determination to divest Ukraine of its territory in Vladimir Putin's rapacious lust for expanded territory has done nothing to deter him from his goal. Among those Russians who despair and decry their government's violent action against their neighbour, many have fled their country of birth, others have been imprisoned for protesting, Alexei Navalny, Vlaldimir Putin's most vocal critic among them.

 

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.  Navalny.com

It was recently revealed that Mr. Putin lives with his Olympic Russian gymnast romantic partner and their two young children in a heavily guarded mansion on a hidden estate. There are actually a few of these palatial mansions, with marble hallways, crystal chandeliers and baroquely gilded decor. Lake Valdai, some 400 kilometres northwest of Moscow is the locale, according to The Project, a Russian investigative news site.

The 70-year-old president of Russia and his 39-year-old lover live on a property empire to the value of $120 million, thanks to a slush fund in Cyprus. Alina Kabaeva was gifted by Vladimir Putin with a mansion of 13,000 sq.ft in the style of a Russian dacha, its construction courtesy of a company owned by Yuri Kovalcchuk, a Russian businessman and friend of the president.  Her property is located 800 metres from Valdai, Mr. Putin's private residence.

A construction executive who worked around the house up to 2005 took photographs of opulent interiors inspired by the president's St.Petersburg hometown and its 18th-century Hermitage Museum. The president's study is furnished with ornate mahogany furniture complete with the secure landline phones used by Kremlin officials. Gilded chairs are arranged around a glass table and a spherical chandelier with gold leaves hang from the ceiling.

 

Elsewhere, the compound's on-site VIP restaurant has a cinema, bowling alley, billiard room and mini-casino, but the 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.  Navalny.com

Alina Kabaeva, it was revealed, is the owner of a number of other luxury properties across Russia whose total value is estimated at $120 million, which includes a penthouse in Sochi on the Black Sea, believed to be the largest apartment in Russia. Interestingly enough, one of Vladimir Putin's sumptuous palaces was also built in Sochi. Don't they make a truly splendid couple? As for the invasion of Ukraine, well, these things happen.