Is Putin paranoid? Leaked maps show secret bunker underneath $1.3 bn 'secret palace'

Russian President Vladimir Putin owns a hidden mansion by the Black Sea with a network of tunnels to assist him in escape, according to leaked papers obtained by Business Insider. Putin's 'secret palace' is a luxurious property by the Black Sea coast and ownership of this property has been the subject of controversy and speculation.According to The Telegraph, Putin allegedly ordered the building of the tunnels, which are located 50 meters below sea level, in order to protect himself in the case of a revolution or war.

The 190,000 square foot and $1.3 billion complex offers every luxury its owner could want.According to the publication, Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny initially acknowledged the palace's existence in 2021 and said it has a cathedral, wine cellar, casino, and ice rink. A separate no-fly zone and 17,000 acres of forest isolate the palace from the rest of Russia.

However, the Kremlin has repeatedly denied the allegations, stating that the palace does not belong to President Putin or any state institution. They have described the claims as unfounded and dismissed them as part of an orchestrated campaign to tarnish Putin's reputation.

The building's drawings, which reveal intricate tunnels beneath it, were made public by the now-defunct Russian contractor Metro Style. These maps were published by the company in 2010 and were still accessible in 2016. The diagrams are still accessible through the Wayback Machine, a website archive.

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A group of Russian people known as "diggers" who visit and record banned areas dug them out. A member of the digging crew, who identified himself as being from the organisation "Sect Z," told Business Insider that they were publishing the pictures "because we are tired of Putin's stupid face and want to show his paranoid underground transport."

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At the time of Mr. Navalny's publication of the exposé on Mr. Putin's Black Sea complex in 2021, thousands of Russians had taken to the streets. The palace's ownership by the Russian president has been contested.

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The bunkers have their own ventilation system and fresh water supply, as seen in the diagrams released on Metro Style's website. The plans also reveal that the complex is connected to the two tunnels by a lift shaft, with the lower tunnel heading to the beach.

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A millionaire and childhood friend of Vladimir Putin, Arkady Rotenberg, came out shortly after Navalny's allegations to assert that the property was his and that the President had nothing to do with it. However, concerns were voiced about the complex's 24-hour security and no-fly zone.The property is also said to include opulent features such as a private theater, an underground hockey rink, a casino, and extensive grounds.

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