The narrator discusses the discrepancy between the public image of Russian President Vladimir Putin as a simple and ascetic individual, and the reality of his luxurious lifestyle, as exposed by an investigation.
The investigation reveals that Putin owns several lavish properties, including palaces and wineries, and spends considerable amounts on personal luxuries such as a personal spa complex. The narrator argues that the public image of Putin as a simple man who only cares about his job and Russia is a carefully crafted propaganda.
The narrator also discusses Putin's close relationship with Yuri Kovalchuk, a billionaire businessman, who owns the land where Putin's personal residence is located. The residence is leased by the Presidential Property Management Department, with the rent paid from the state budget.
The narrator suggests that the billions spent on Putin's personal luxuries are a waste of public funds and criticizes the lack of transparency around these expenditures. The narrator concludes by expressing solidarity with opposition leader Alexey Navalny, who has been imprisoned for exposing Putin's corruption and lies.
1. The speaker discusses the discrepancy between Putin's image as a simple, ascetic leader and his actual lifestyle, which includes luxury palaces and wineries [Document 1].
2. Putin's relatives, children, lovers, and their children own expensive real estate, Gazprom shares, and money from state-owned companies [Document 1].
3. Despite his supposed ascetic lifestyle, Putin is shown in a variety of media roles, including a strategic geopolitician, a tough leader, and a simple guy who can crack jokes [Document 1].
4. Putin is shown living in a small apartment, a Niva car, and a Skif trailer, while his press secretary Peskov wears a 37-million-ruble watch [Document 2].
5. Putin does not have a palace in Gelendzhik, but he has four official residences: the Kremlin, Novo-Ogarevo, Bocharov Ruchei, and Valdai [Document 3].
6. The southern part of the peninsula where the actual residence is located on belongs to Yuri Kovalchuk, Putin's main purse, sponsor of his palaces and ladies [Document 3].
7. The land officially belongs to the Russian Federation and is in perpetual use by the Federal Security Service [Document 3].
8. The residence is hidden and carefully guarded, with no photos available on the Internet [Document 3].
9. The residence is a 3500 m2 4-storey mansion with a Chinese pavilion, cool huts, baths, gazebos, a restaurant, a separate building for a beer restaurant, and an own church [Document 3].
10. The residence also includes a personal beauty salon, a massage room, a lymphopress procedure, massage baths, a 25-meter pool, a 250-meter hall, and a giant 500 m2 living room [Document 3].
11. The residence is managed by the Property Management Department, which rents about 80 buildings, small and large [Document 3].
12. The documents from Rosreestr are in a horrible state, with the names of buildings removed, the lease terms confused, and the information not updated for years [Document 3].
13. The residence includes baths, a sauna, a stable, a golf course, a mini golf course, a VIP restaurant with a cinema, a bowling alley, a billiard room, and even a mini-casino [Document 3].
14. The residence is Putin's favorite, where he brings his favorite artists for personal VIP concerts [Document 3].
15. Journalists are not allowed at the residence, and there are no official meetings there [Document 3].
16. The managers of the dacha are generously rewarded with money and positions [Document 3].
17. Yuri Kovalchuk owns all of this through his company Prime, which is not engaged in anything other than leasing the residence [Document 3].
18. The company's financial statements show that they have earned 2.7 billion rubles over the past 10 years [Document 3].
19. The speaker argues that it is unclear why taxpayers' money is being spent on the construction of personal spa complexes for Putin, and why this money is paid in the form of rent to Putin's best friend, a billionaire [Document 3].
20. The speaker calls for support for Alexey Navalny, who was illegally imprisoned by Putin for telling the truth about Putin's corruption, lies, and hypocrisy [Document 4].