putin's home and yacht

Inside Vladimir Putin’s $285 billion luxury life with secret palaces, yachts, girlfriends and millionaires

Secretly living like a king, Putin has added another sprawling palace that’s double the size of Buckingham Palace to a multibillion-dollar empire.

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Vladimir Putin is believed to have boosted his £1 billion (A$1.78 billion) property empire with a new £200 million (A$356.6 million) palace – amid reports he is secretly one of the richest men in the world.

The imposing pile has been built in a highly-secure “billionaire’s village” on the outskirts of Moscow and is surrounded in total secrecy, reports Russian newspaper Sobesednik.

Russia’s hardman leader is reported to be worth £160 billion (A$285 billion) and is said to live like a king on his extraordinary wealth.

RELATED: Putin’s glamorous love child slams ‘lies’

His critics claim he has amassed a huge personal fortune and owns a fleet of yachts, cars and secret presidential palaces.

Putin always talks down his wealth – claiming to enjoy a relatively modest state wage of around £100,000 (A$178,000)

However, experts say he is really 60 times richer than US President Donald Trump.

Political critic Boris Nemtsov compiled a dossier that alleged Putin even has four yachts secretly docked around Russia.

RELATED: Putin’s secret ‘love child’ with cleaner

He also claimed Putin has 43 planes, 7000 cars and 15 helicopters – including an Illyshin jet with a £50,000 (A$89,000) gold toilet.

Nemtsov added Russia’s leader even has a watch collection worth some £500,000 (A$891,500) – including one that is £300,000 (A$535,000) alone.

RELATED: Reports Putin will stand down next year

Putin’s “secret girlfriends” also have more than a few rubles in the bank, say reports.

Svetlana Krivonogikh – said to be the mother of Vlad’s lovechild – is a cleaner-turned-millionaire who owns a popular nightspot.

RELATED: Putin’s rumoured mistress vanishes

And his “gymnast lover” is earning millions a year as a pro-Kremlin media boss, according to reports of leaked tax records.

Former Olympic gold medallist Alina Kabaeva is said to pocket a salary of £7.78 million (A$13.9 million), claimed a recent expose.

Putin’s “latest home” measures 123,785 square feet (37.7km) – which is nearly double the size of Buckingham Palace.

The “classical style” palace was owned by a company called Property-V during its construction, with the newspaper suggesting the ‘V’ stands for Vladimir.

The report concludes that the sprawling estate must belong to an important individual with only the highest Kremlin connections.

The sumptuous residence is listed as belonging to the Russian Federation, which the report claims is a “cover” used by “owners of palaces and penthouses associated with the country’s leadership”.

The report suggests the property is either Putin’s or belongs to someone exceptionally close to him.

So far there has been no response from Putin’s spokesman to the Sobesednik claims, the latest in a series of “revelations” on his wealth, health and private life in recent weeks.

The reports have led to suggestions the Russian leader is under an unprecedented “information attack” from foes.

The recently completed palace is at Greenfield village, which offers “a new standard of country life” with “impeccable style of elite suburban life and the independence of serene nature”, according to publicity blurb.

It comprises “stately residences, reminiscent of country castles”, and is home to a number of billionaires.

The village boasts “beautiful parks and boulevards 24 metres wide … fountains, sculptures, flower beds” and is surrounded by “vast forests”.

Before the palace’s construction was complete the village was said to house the “most expensive house in Russia”, owned by Jordanian billionaire.

The new palace may be worth some £202 million (A$360.2 million), reports the newspaper.

Andrey Ertman, representative of the company which was constructing the palace, refused to name the owner “hiding under the pseudonym ‘Russian Federation’”, said the newspaper.

“This is confidential information. Buyers of such assets do not always strive for publicity. This is their right,” he explained.

Companies tied to the new palace and its financing are closely linked to the Russian elite and other stunning properties, it is claimed.

Multiple properties have been linked to Putin in recent years – with some saying he now owns homes worth more than a £1 billion (A$1.78 billion).

One is a gigantic £800 million (A$1.4 billion) Black Sea pile called the Gelendzhik Palace complete with helicopter landing pads and its own vineyard.

Originally conceived as a modest holiday house with a swimming pool, it now boasts a magnificent columned facade reminiscent of the country palaces Russian tsars built in the 18th Century.

The massive wrought-iron gates into the courtyard are topped with a golden imperial eagle.

Outside are formal gardens, a private theatre, a landing pad with bays for three helicopters, and accommodation for security guards.

In 2017, it was also reported Putin had bought himself a lavish holiday home with gold-plated tiles in the swimming pool just a few miles from Russia’s border with the West.

Villa Sellgren is built on an island in the Vyborg Bay, around 19km from the Russian border with Finland.

Officially it belongs to close friends of the Kremlin but locals say it is the latest prestige home in a stunning property portfolio rumoured to be Putin’s.

He is also said to own a dacha close to St Petersburg, and an Altai Mountains retreat officially belonging to Gazprom as well as apartments in Moscow.

Another official residence is located in the Novgorod Region, and goes by three different names: Valdai, Uzhyn, and Dolgie Borody.

The residence was initially planned as one of Stalin’s dachas, but he thought it too dangerous.

In the 1930s the residence was the only building on a small peninsula and was surrounded by dense forest, with only one escape route to the mainland.

This article originally appeared on The Sun and was reproduced with permission

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$700mn superyacht tied to Putin is being refitted while impounded

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Silvia Sciorilli Borrelli in Marina di Carrara and Henry Foy in Brussels

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It has been 15 months since Italy impounded the Scheherazade, a $700mn superyacht linked to Vladimir Putin.

But the time the yacht has spent sitting in the Tuscan port of Marina di Carrara has not been wasted: Italy has allowed its unnamed, but sanctioned, owner to pay not just for its staff and maintenance, but also for it to be refitted.

The 140 metre-long yacht, which is only four years old and boasts 22 guest cabins with gold-plated bathrooms, two helicopter decks and a spa, is being refurbished by the Milan-listed Italian Sea Group.

The company confirmed that a “refit” of the ship continued after the asset was frozen by authorities, and that the yacht’s owner has been paying for the works and for maintenance, but declined to give further details, including the identity of the owner.

The Agenzia del Demanio, which manages seized assets, confirmed it had agreed, along with the finance ministry, to allow the ship’s owner to pay for the “maintenance works”, but declined to go into further detail because “information about frozen assets is classified”.

Italy has never publicly identified the yacht’s owner, although at the time it was seized it said there was “evidence of meaningful economic and business connections with prominent elements of the Russian government subject to EU sanctions”.

According to people with knowledge of the situation in Rome and Brussels the owner is Eduard Khudainatov, the former chief executive of the Russian state oil company Rosneft who was sanctioned by the EU in June 2022.

A Bloomberg report last year said US officials had alleged in court filings that Khudainatov was the “straw owner” of two yachts, including the Scheherazade, on behalf of Putin. The Financial Times traced the boat’s ownership to a Marshall Islands-based entity called Beilor Asset Limited.

Meanwhile researchers working for the jailed Russian opposition activist Alexei Navalny have also alleged that the Scheherazade’s real owner is the Russian president, because a number of its crew were members of the Federal Protection Service, responsible for Putin’s security. The Kremlin denied the allegations at the time. The staff on board the yacht was subsequently replaced.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in response to a question from the Financial Times: “All rumors about this are unfounded.”

A European Commission spokesperson said that “members states are responsible for implementing sanctions,” and that asset freezes do not affect the ownership of the assets.

When asked about the payment scheme for the Scheherazade’s upkeep, the spokesperson said that “maintenance costs of frozen assets can be paid by the designated person” under a “standard derogation”.

Public authorities in the relevant member state can also pay the maintenance costs given the “risk that the designated person will not be willing to . . . or that the designated person will be denying beneficial ownership of the asset,” the spokesperson added.

Italy and the European Commission did not confirm who the “designated person” is for the Scheherazade.

The EU has imposed sanctions on almost 1,900 Russian individuals and entities since Moscow’s first invasion of Ukraine in 2014, freezing their assets and banning them from travelling around the bloc. The assets are frozen, rather than seized, and would be returned if sanctions are lifted.

According to a list of Russian assets seized in Italy seen by the FT, the Scheherazade is the only one whose owner is not specified. The vessel is merely described as: “superyacht Scheherazade sailing under the Cayman Islands flag with a value of around €650mn.”

Additional reporting by Stefania Palma in Washington

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U.S. Officials Say Superyacht Could be Putin’s

They say they have indications that the $700 million, 459-foot yacht, which is in dry dock in Italy, is associated with the Russian president, backing an earlier claim by a former crew member.

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By Julian E. Barnes Michael Forsythe David D. Kirkpatrick and Jason Horowitz

• March 11, 2022

WASHINGTON — American officials are examining the ownership of a $700 million superyacht currently in a dry dock at an Italian seacoast town, and believe it could be associated with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, according to multiple people briefed on the information.

United States intelligence agencies have made no final conclusions about the ownership of the superyacht — called the Scheherazade — but American officials said they had found initial indications that it was linked to Mr. Putin. The information from the U.S. officials came after The New York Times reported on Tuesday that Italian authorities were looking into the 459-foot long vessel’s ownership and that a former crew member said it was for the use of Mr. Putin.

People briefed on the intelligence would not describe what information they had that indicated the superyacht is associated with Mr. Putin. If American officials know whether or how often Mr. Putin uses the yacht, the people briefed on the information would not share it.

American officials said Mr. Putin kept little of his wealth in his own name. Instead he uses homes and boats nominally owned by Russian oligarchs. Still, it is possible that through various shell companies, Mr. Putin could have more direct control of the Scheherazade.

Throughout the coronavirus pandemic Mr. Putin has also spent large amounts of time in the Russian resort city of Sochi on the Black Sea, U.S. officials said. The Scheherazade made trips to Sochi in the summers of 2020 and 2021.

Both the Treasury Department’s Office of Intelligence and Analysis and the Navy’s Office of Naval Intelligence are investigating the ownership of superyachts associated with Russian oligarchs. A spokesman for the Navy and a spokeswoman for the Treasury both declined to comment.

The Justice Department has set up a task force to go after the assets of sanctioned Russian oligarchs. In a discussion with reporters on Friday, a Justice Department official said the task force would be investigating individuals who help sanctioned Russian officials or oligarchs hide their assets. Those individuals could face charges related to sanctions violations or international money laundering charges.

In addition, under recently published Commerce Department rule changes, if more than 25 percent of a plane or a yacht is made of U.S.-manufactured airplane or marine parts, it cannot go to Russia.

If a yacht is in a foreign country and meets the definition of a U.S.-origin or U.S.-made product, it would need a license to go to Russia. To actually seize a yacht, the United States would need to coordinate with a cooperative foreign government — Italy, in the case of the Scheherazade — to prevent the ship from moving to Russian waters.

Some superyachts moved out of European waters as the invasion of Ukraine began and the West began imposing sanctions allowing asset seizures. The Scheherazade is undergoing repairs in Marina di Carrara, a port in Tuscany, and as of earlier this week was in dry dock, unable to get underway.

Guy Bennett-Pearce, the Scheherazade’s captain, said earlier this week that Mr. Putin was not the owner of the superyacht and that the Russian president had not set foot on it.

He declined to give the name of the owner, saying on Monday only that it was not anyone facing sanctions. Captain Bennett-Pearce did not answer his phone on Friday or respond to a text message.

Last week, Italian authorities boarded the Scheherazade and examined certification documents, seeking to learn more about the vessel’s ownership. Captain Bennett-Pearce said earlier this week that he would provide the Italian police with documents that divulged the yacht’s owner.

Italian authorities said they were taking a deep look at the Scheherazade. Under a process that may take as long as a couple of weeks, Italy’s financial police will gather evidence and present it to a government committee, which will then decide whether ownership or use of the ship is connected to someone on the sanctions list.

That connection could be outright ownership of a significant portion of the ship, or evidence that a friend, underling or associate lent his or her name to hide the sanctioned person’s ownership, or that funds used to buy the ship came from illegal profits. If the committee finds that the evidence meets the threshold, the financial police can impound the Scheherazade.

The Italian Sea Group , which owns the shipyard where the Scheherazade is dry-docked, said in a statement on Thursday that based on documents it had and “checks carried out by the relevant authorities,” the Scheherazade “is not attributable to the property of Russian President Vladimir Putin.”

American officials have been stepping up their examination of the superyachts of Russian oligarchs, particularly as the United States and Europe have imposed more sanctions against the wealthy families that support Mr. Putin.

The German-built Scheherazade has been in service since June 2020. The website SuperYachtFan estimated that it cost $700 million. The ship has a full-size gym, two helicopter decks and gold-plated fixtures in the washrooms.

While American intelligence officials have been looking at the Scheherazade, the scrutiny has increased after the publication of the earlier article in The Times.

The Scheherazade appears to have a sister ship, the Crescent , built by the same German manufacturer and put into service in 2018. The Crescent’s project name when it was under construction was “ Thunder. ” The Scheherazade’s was “ Lightning .”

Like the Scheherazade, there is no public information identifying the ship’s owner, other than an offshore shell company. The Crescent last broadcast its position on Nov. 2, when it appeared to be approaching Barcelona, Spain. Satellite images show that as of March 4 it was moored at a marina catering to superyachts near there. Both vessels are registered in the Cayman Islands and both share the same designer .

Katie Benner contributed reporting from Washington, Christoph Koettl from New York, and Gaia Pianigiani from Siena, Italy.

Julian E. Barnes is a national security reporter based in Washington, covering the intelligence agencies. Before joining The Times in 2018, he wrote about security matters for The Wall Street Journal. More about Julian E. Barnes

Michael Forsythe is a reporter on the investigations team. He was previously a correspondent in Hong Kong, covering the intersection of money and politics in China. He has also worked at Bloomberg News and is a United States Navy veteran. More about Michael Forsythe

David D. Kirkpatrick is an investigative reporter based in New York and the author of “Into the Hands of the Soldiers: Freedom and Chaos in Egypt and the Middle East.“ In 2020 he shared a Pulitzer Prize for reporting on covert Russian interference in other governments and as the Cairo bureau chief from 2011 to 2015 he led coverage of the Arab Spring uprisings. More about David D. Kirkpatrick

Jason Horowitz is the Rome bureau chief, covering Italy, the Vatican, Greece and other parts of Southern Europe. He previously covered the 2016 presidential campaign, the Obama administration and Congress, with an emphasis on political profiles and features. More about Jason Horowitz

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Italy won't say who's paying for the care of a $700 million superyacht tied to Putin

Dustin Jones

The Scheherazade, a 460-foot superyacht, has been held in Italy since May 2022 in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. It is believed to have ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Laura Lezza/Getty Images hide caption

The Scheherazade, a 460-foot superyacht, has been held in Italy since May 2022 in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. It is believed to have ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The Scheherazade superyacht was impounded by the Italian government in May 2022 in response to Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine. Instead of falling into disrepair, Italy has allowed its owner to maintain and refit the vessel, but it won't disclose who is footing the bill.

The Financial Times reported on Sunday that the vessel has been held at port in Marina di Carrara, located almost 90 miles northwest of Florence, since it was impounded by authorities in the spring of 2022. For over a year, the Italian government has permitted the owner to continue paying for the ship's staff, its maintenance and refitting of the vessel. But Italy won't identify the owner.

Italy's Finance Ministry said in a May 2022 news release that the superyacht had "significant economic and business links" with "prominent elements of the Russian government" but didn't name the owner of the ship.

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According to the website SuperYachtFan , the 460-foot superyacht belongs to Russian billionaire Eduard Khudainatov. However, Bloomberg News reported in 2022 that he is a "straw owner" of the superyacht — as well as another ship — and that the Scheherazade actually belongs to Putin.

The Financial Times reported that the Scheherazade has 22 cabins, two helicopter decks and a spa and that it's being refitted by the Italian Sea Group. NPR reached out to the Italian Sea Group for comment but did not hear back before publication.

The United States created Task Force KleptoCapture in the wake of Putin's war against Ukraine, aiming to hold Russian oligarchs accountable for evading sanctions. In its one year of operation, the task force has brought charges to at least 35 individuals and entities, NPR previously reported.

Part of those efforts included seizing luxury items belonging to billionaires with ties to the Kremlin. This includes items like a 348-foot yacht seized in Fiji in May 2022, which is valued at about $300 million and is now sitting in San Diego.

Watch CBS News

Satellite image shows super yacht linked to Putin out of reach of sanctions

By Catherine Herridge , Michael Kaplan, Andrew Bast, Jessica Kegu

March 3, 2022 / 7:30 AM EST / CBS News

As Europe and the U.S. bear down with a raft of aggressive sanctions targeting Russian President Vladimir Putin, the super yacht he is believed to own has found safe harbor in a highly militarized port in Russian territorial waters. In new satellite imagery obtained by CBS News, the yacht can be seen docked in a port in Kaliningrad, near Russia's nuclear weapons operations. 

Experts say Putin's luxury vessel has become a symbol not only of his vast hidden wealth, but also of how challenging that money has been to find. 

"He's a KGB agent, so he's crafty. He knows how to hide when he needs to," said John Smith, former director of the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control, which administers and enforces all foreign sanctions.

Data from MarineTraffic, a global intelligence group, shows Putin's alleged yacht, the Graceful, left Germany two weeks before the invasion of Ukraine . 

Putin's government salary is said to be about $140,000, but that doesn't begin to explain the mansions, million-dollar watch collection and over-the-top yacht. 

"It would be fair to say he's among the richest men in the world," Smith said. 

Though he sells himself as a man of the people, his wealth is estimated to be more than $100 billion. 

Putin's critics allege he also has a cliffside palace that includes an amphitheater and a personal tunnel to the beach that doubles as a security bunker. 

"Of course, he doesn't acknowledge it as being his own," Smith said. "It doesn't fit with the public persona that he's trying to create to actually acknowledge it." 

Putin relies on his oligarch friends to shield his fortune from sanctions, Smith said. 

"So if he asked them to do something, they do it in terms of hiding assets, squirreling them in different parts of the globe, they will do what he needs," he said. 

Those who have tried to expose Putin's fortune have done so at great personal risk. 

Putin critic Boris Nemtsov was assassinated on a bridge in the shadow of the Kremlin in 2015. Sergei Magnitsky died in 2009 under questionable circumstances in prison after he exposed $230 million in fraud by Putin's friends. Putin publicly condemned Nemtsov's murder and claimed Magnitsky died of a heart attack.  

His most recent No. 1 critic, Alexei Navalny , who helped expose Putin's lavish palace, emerged as a political rival and found himself repeatedly jailed. He nearly died after being poisoned two years ago, though Putin has denied responsibility for the poisoning. 

"Putin's wealth is one of the most dangerous topics," said Russian journalist Roman Badanin, who spent two decades investigating Putin's financial web. 

Badanin said Russian authorities sought to intimidate and silence his reporting team. Six months ago, he reached his breaking point. 

"I fled the country. My apartment was searched twice. I have like three criminal charges against me back in Russia," he said. 

In his State of the Union address, President Biden said the U.S. and its allies are waging economic war on Putin and Russian oligarchs. 

"We are joining with our European allies to find and seize your yachts, your luxury apartments and your private jets," Biden said. 

On Wednesday, the Justice Department announced the formation of a new task force that would target Russian oligarchs. 

"Russia is not a transparent economy," Smith said. "The U.S. and our allies have decent information on some of [Putin's] assets, I think a lot will remain a mystery for a long time in the future." 

The biggest financial hit for Putin would be sanctions on the energy sector, which Smith says the Russian president has used to build up his wealth for years. So far, Washington and the Europeans have been hesitant to do that. 

• Vladimir Putin

Catherine Herridge is a senior investigative correspondent for CBS News covering national security and intelligence based in Washington, D.C.

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Inside Putin's luxury yacht: Photos show dance floor that morphs into pool, marble-and-gold bathroom and more

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Photos showing the inside of Vladimir Putin 's yacht currently moored in Italy reveal a lifestyle of luxury and grandeur behind the autocratic Russian president, as his country faces severe international economic sanctions due to the ongoing war with Ukraine.

The yacht includes excessive features ranging from a gold toilet paper holder in a marble bathroom, and a tile dance floor surrounded by water that can shift below floor level to become a pool. For the full set of photos, visit The Sun .

"Every surface is marble or gold. There are countless swimming pools, a spa, a sauna, a theater, ballrooms, a gym, two helipads. It’s like a mini city," one of the builders of the yacht told The Sun.

Golden toilet paper roll holder on Putin's yacht.

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Other features on the six-deck, 459-foot yacht include a self-leveling pool table, a 16-foot aquarium, a Jacuzzi, a dining room, a judo gym, two helicopter pads, six jet skis and more, according to the outlet.

Tile dance floor that transforms into a pool on Putin's yacht.

It even includes "a hospital," the builder said.

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Scheherazade, one of the world's biggest and most expensive yachts allegedly linked to Russian billionaires, is moored in the harbor of the small Italian town of Marina di Carrara, Italy, on March 23, 2022. (REUTERS/Jennifer Lorenzini)

"It is hard to swallow the fact that the most incredible ship in the world is owned by a man intent on bombing civilians in Ukraine," he continued. "And it is an unimaginable amount of wealth when the average Russian’s salary is £5,000 [$6,600] a year, and people there are struggling to eat."

The mega yacht called The Scheherazade, named after the character of a Persian queen in Middle Eastern folklore, is estimated to be worth upwards of $700 million, according to Putin opposition leader Alexi Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation, or FBK.

Inside Vladimir Putin's luxury yacht.

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"Russian people paid for it. Putin needs his head flushing down that golden throne," an ex-crew member told The Sun.

Comfortable living inside Putin's yacht.

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As Russia's unprovoked war on Ukraine continues, there has been increased pressure on Italian officials to crack down on Russian yachts stationed along the country's coastline.

U.S. and European officials have been working to seize excessive yachts belonging to Putin's oligarch allies and moored in various NATO countries.

Audrey Conklin is a digital reporter for Fox News Digital and FOX Business. Email tips to [email protected] or on Twitter at @audpants.

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A Peek Inside Vladimir Putin's $125 Million Dollar Yacht Collection

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The graceful, the olympia, the seagull.

Vladimir Putin is the first person that comes to mind when thinking of Russia . He had served as the President of Russia for eight years from 1999 to 2008 before he was reelected in 2012 and has been the Commander-in-Chief ever since. The President is known to downplay his net worth, claiming that he only earns $100,000 as an annual income salary for his role as the President . His statements of modest salary are questioned when reports arise that Putin has a net worth of a whopping $40 billion. Given his expensive tastes and properties, it is not a surprise that the Russian President is one of the wealthiest politicians in the world.

Putin has several castle-like estates in Russia and travels in style in his limousines. His other interests include owning a fleet of superyachts that are breathtaking inside and out. Let’s take a look at Vladimir Putin’s $125 million yacht collection.

The first yacht on the list is The Graceful, which is as elegant as the name suggests. Splashed in the affluent shade of white, it is 72 meters wide and has 2,685 tons of volume. As mentioned by Super Yacht Fan , The Graceful was built by Blohm and Voss in 2014 and designed by H2 Yacht Design. The superyacht features six cabins for the guests, which 12 people can occupy, and seven cabin crews that can hold 14 members.

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The largest room is the Master Suite , followed by two VIP staterooms and three guest cabins. The yacht features a 50 by 10-foot pool, which can be converted into a dance floor with a flick of a button. The uncovered views of the yacht offer 360-degree views of the blue lagoons. The yacht costs an astonishing $100 million, and if that is not enough, it requires $5 to $10 million of annual costs for maintenance.

The most photographed and Putin’s favorite yacht, The Olympia, stands true to its name as it stretches 57 meters. Designed and built-in 2002, the yacht was put together at the Feadship shipyard. The speed of The Olympia is 16 knots with a range of 4,700 miles, as stated by It Boat . Putin is spotted cruising on the yacht with business leaders from around the world.

The Olympia costs $50 million and can accommodate up to 10 guests along with 16 crew members. The superyacht features a Presidential Cabin where Putin resides , which is located on a separate level. The size of his suite is one-third of the length of the yacht. It also features a jacuzzi and bar. The interior details of the yacht are kept a State secret which only adds to the mystery of The Olympia.

Built-in, a Turkish shipyard in 2009 by Proteksan Turquoise, The Seagull or Chayka in Russian is a 54 meters long superyacht under the purchase of the Russian Government. The yacht is built for long journeys of over 4,000 miles. The yacht can cruise to a speed of 14 knots with a range of 4,000 horses. The cost of The Seagull is expected to be over $34.85 million.

The luxurious explorer features spacious indoor and outdoor areas for guests to relax. It can accommodate 12 guests and 11 crew members at the same time. The Seagull has a large dining room, jacuzzi, gym, beach club, barbecue area, and a swimming pool. The Master Suite reserved for Putin has an ultra-luxurious bed, office, full bathroom, and a dressing room. The Seagull is also stocked with jet skis, fishing and diving equipment, and three inflatable boats for a quick mid-day sports activity.

The least known about and the smallest yacht on the list is The Petrel. Very little information is known about the yacht since the Russian President hasn’t been spotted using it as often as The Olympia and The Graceful. The Petrel is 35 meters long and has a maximum speed of 14 knots and a cruising speed of 10 knots, as noted by The Richest . The elegantly decorated cabins with private balconies can house 16 guests comfortably and 12 crew members.

For Putin to relax, there's also a sundeck with a jacuzzi installed for comfort . The main floor features a lounge featuring comfortable areas for everyone to sit and talk. While the exact price of the superyacht is still in question, the model similar to The Petrel costs $16.8 million. Being the least expensive on the list, it still costs more than a standard yacht owned by celebrities worldwide.

Vladimir Putin has different ways to travel in style, from his Presidential bulletproof car called The Beast to his incredible yacht collection. While the Russian President has only been spotted conducting business negotiations on his superyachts, they are the best solution for him to soak the sun and take some time off from work.

READ NEXT:  The Billionaire Bunker: Inside Ivanka Trump's $24 Million Mansion

Sources: Super Yacht Fan , It Boat , The Richest

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US intelligence officials believe a $700 million superyacht that's docked in Italy could belong to Russian President Vladimir Putin, reports say

• US officials say a superyacht docked in Italy could belong to Russian President Vladimir Putin. 
• People briefed on the intelligence, however, said no set conclusions have been made, per The NYT. 
• The $700 million superyacht is currently docked on the Tuscan coast of Italy. 

US authorities believe a $700 million superyacht that's docked in Italy could belong to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The New York Times reported the news, citing several people briefed on the information.

The superyacht, called the Scheherazade, which is currently situated on the Tuscan coast of Italy first came to light after The Times reported Tuesday that Italian authorities were examining the 459-foot-long vessel. 

While some believed it could belong to a Russian oligarch, locals told The Times they nicknamed it "Putin's yacht." 

Following the invasion of Ukraine , Russia has been hit with wide-ranging sanctions targeting oligarchs and their luxury assets . Superyachts have come under particular scrutiny in recent weeks.

US intelligence officials have not concluded who owns the Scheherazade but said they found initial indications that it was associated with Putin, per The Times.

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The people with knowledge of the matter would not describe what information led them to believe the superyacht was linked to the Russian President, according to the publication. 

The ship's captain, Guy Bennett-Pearce, told reporters earlier this week that Putin was not the owner of the ship and that he had never been on the yacht. He didn't, however, rule out the possibility of the owner being Russian. 

Meanwhile, the US and the other countries are doubling down on efforts to confiscate oligarchs' high-end assets.

"We are joining with our European allies to find and seize your yachts, your luxury apartments, your private jets," President Joe Biden said  in his State of The Union address on March 1. "We are coming for your ill-begotten gains."

Some oligarchs have scrambled to try and escape the sanctions against them, taking their private jets and ships to places like Dubai and the Maldives . 

Others like Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich are resorting to selling off their assets .

The Scheherazade has been undergoing repairs since June 2020 in the small Italian town of Marina di Carrara. Its features include a helicopter landing pad, a large pool, a cinema, and a drone crashing system, according to Superyacht Fan . 

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Putin's superyachts targeted in latest round of U.S. sanctions

The White House announced a new round of sanctions Thursday against Russia over its assault on Ukraine , which include targeting four yachts linked to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The Treasury Department said Putin has taken numerous trips on two of the yachts, the Russia-flagged Graceful and the Cayman Islands-flagged Olympia, "including a 2021 trip in the Black Sea where he was joined by Alyaksandr Lukashenka, the OFAC-designated corrupt ruler of Belarus, who has supported Russia’s war against Ukraine." (OFAC is the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control.) 

The Treasury Department also identified two other yachts it said are linked to Putin — the Shellest and the Nega. "Shellest periodically travels to the coast where President Putin’s infamous Black Sea Palace is located, and President Putin uses Nega for travel in Russia’s North," the agency said in a news release.

The U.S. first sanctioned Putin in February. Some experts have  estimated  that his net worth is in the tens of billions; he has buried his wealth behind numerous shell companies, making it  difficult  to locate and freeze his assets. The Treasury Department said Thursday that the Olympia and the Graceful are owned by a company owned by the Russian government, while the Shellest and the Nega are owned by a Russian company.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the new sanctions were designed "to degrade the networks allowing Russia’s elites, including President Putin, to anonymously make use of luxury assets around the globe."

As part of the effort, the U.S. sanctioned Imperial Yachts SARL, a yacht brokerage it said is aligned with the Kremlin and provides "yacht-related services to Russia’s elites, including those in President Putin’s inner circle."

"When not in use by their owners, superyachts can be offered for charter through businesses such as Imperial Yachts, generating income for the owners, who are in some cases Russia’s oligarchs," the Treasury Department said.

In a statement Thursday, Imperial Yachts called the accusations "false" and said it "will pursue all available legal remedies to resolve this matter promptly."

"We are not involved in our clients’ financial affairs,” the company said.

The Treasury Department took aim at Putin allies, as well, including business leaders and government officials. Sergei Pavlovich Roldugin , whom the Treasury Department identified as a close friend of Putin's who helps manage his offshore wealth, was sanctioned, as was Yury Slyusar, the president of a state-owned company that is a major aircraft supplier for the Russian military.

The sanctions also targeted yachts and luxury aircraft belonging to other oligarchs, including a yacht called the Sea Rhapsody and a jet that have been linked to Andrei Kostin , the previously sanctioned head of Russia's VTB Bank.

Andrei Vladimirovich Skoch, a billionaire member of the Russian Duma who was also previously sanctioned , has been linked to a Cayman Islands-flagged yacht called the Madame Gu, a helicopter housed on the yacht and a private plane. The Treasury Department said that the 324-foot Madame Gu is valued at $156 million and that it "includes an elevator, beach club, gym, and requires significant maintenance and repair, including approximately $1 million for painting annually."

Dareh Gregorian is a politics reporter for NBC News.

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Inside Putin's $125M Yacht That Just Left the German Port Where It Was Being Refurbished

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Officials in Ukraine are expressing skepticism that Russia has pulled back some of its troops amassed near their border. President Joe Biden addressed the world from the White House, saying an invasion remains “distinctly possible.”

Meanwhile, Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s enormous wealth is making headlines as his $125 million super yacht is on the move. 

The Graceful has been docked at a boatyard in Germany since December for refurbishment, but made a hurried exit before the work was completed. 

Now, the vessel is sailing back home to Russia in a bid to prevent it from being seized by the West should Putin invade Ukraine, experts say.

German media reported that the yacht was departing the shipyard unexpectedly before they could finish the upgrades.

Inside the ship, there's a pool that can be converted into a dance floor, an elevator and plush seating. Putin's stateroom has a huge, king size bed.

Putin's official salary as president of Russia is $135,000, but he has reportedly amassed a fortune of $225 billion.

Bill Browder, author of an upcoming book on Putin’s ill-gotten gains, says, “Putin is a narrow-minded, greedy man who has stolen a lot of money over a long period of time from the Russian people.”

Browder says the one sure way to stop Putin from invading Ukraine is to threaten to seize his assets.

“Putin values money more than human life. It’s real simple — you go after his money. And if that threat is made clearly, he won’t invade Ukraine,” Browder said.

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Inside putin’s $700m yacht, complete with gold toilet paper holder.

This yacht makes a Bond villain’s boat look like a dinghy.

Vladimir Putin, whose forces continue to attack Ukraine , spared no expense on his alleged $700 million superyacht, which comes complete with its own dance floor — and even golden toilet paper holders. Rumors that the boat belonged to him have been swirling since its construction; however, anti-Kremlin activists recently claimed that it is indeed Putin’s .

“It’s like a mini city,” an unnamed worker reportedly involved in its construction told the Sun of the 495-foot luxury vessel, which is moored in Marina di Carrara in Italy. “There are countless swimming pools, a spa, a sauna, a theatre, ballrooms, a gym, two helipads.” 

Known as Scheherazade — after the iconic Persian queen from literature — the opulent watercraft was reportedly estimated at £500 million ($6.6 million), although insider sources price it closer to £750 million ($990 million).

And it appears that Putin put his money where his boat is: Photos obtained by the Sun show the veritable maritime mansion and its six floors of swanky amenities. They include a 16-foot aquarium, multiple televisions — including a 15-foot beast spanning an entire wall — and a self-leveling pool table so that guests can play even when the sea turns turbulent.

There are also bathrooms outfitted with King Midas-evoking gold taps and toilet paper holders, plus a tile dance floor that converts into a pool. Scheherazade is thought to be one of only two ships in the world with that feature, the Sun reported; the other is Putin’s second yacht, Graceful.

Along with standard bling, the Russian president decked out the superyacht with personal touches, including a judo room with framed pictures of black belts, plus various books showcasing the autocrat’s worship of wealth.

“Every surface is either marble or gold,” an unnamed boatbuilder told the Sun of the glitzy vessel, which the worker finds especially obscene in light of current events.

“It is hard to swallow the fact that the most incredible ship in the world is owned by a man intent on bombing civilians in Ukraine,” he continued. “And it is an unimaginable amount of wealth when the average Russian’s salary is £5,000 a year, and people there are struggling to eat.”

The ritzy ship isn’t just built for pleasure cruises. Much like the baddie’s superyacht in the movie “Thunderball,” Scheherazade can supposedly transform from a party boat to a battleship in a flash with a state-of-the-art security system reportedly capable of shooting down drones.

If that wasn’t ostentatious enough, the superyacht-cum-aircraft-carrier also contains two helipads and a hangar than can house a helicopter, six Jet Skis, five dinghies and eight Seabob underwater scooters.

Scheherazade was built over two years ago. However, the vessel’s alleged ties to Putin came to light recently after activists affiliated with jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny claimed that some of the crewmembers worked for the Federal Security Service, which handles the Russian leader’s security.

“To sum up, a dozen of Vladimir Putin’s personal guards and servants are constantly maintaining one of the world’s largest yachts docked in an Italian port,” investigative journalist and Navalny ally Maria Pevchikh wrote on Twitter Monday.

Meanwhile, during a Tuesday address to the Italian parliament, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky implored Italy to confiscate the assets of Putin and his supporters, who he claimed frequently traveled to Italy, the Guardian reported .

“Don’t be a resort for murderers,” he said, urging Italian authorities to seize every yacht “from the Scheherazade to the smallest ones.”

The ship is currently being investigated by authorities for potential ties to sanctioned Russians.

See the full set of image at The Sun

Despite the accusations, the Scheherazade’s British captain, Guy Bennett-Pearce, has denied that Putin has ever owned or even set foot on the vessel.

“I have never seen him. I have never met him,”  he told the New York Times , adding that the vessel’s owner was not on any sanctions list.

Earlier in March, Italian officials seized several superyachts owned by Russian oligarchs, including Alexey Mordashov’s 213-foot vessel , Gennady Timchenko’s 132-foot watercraft and Audrey Melnichenko’s $578 million, 469-foot superyacht.

The seizures are among the latest efforts to hit Putin and those close to him over Russia’s brutal assault against Ukraine, which began on Feb. 24. 

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Inside Putin’s £500m superyacht with pool that becomes dance floor, huge home cinema and even a GOLD toilet roll holder

• Julia Atherley
• Published : 17:30 ET, Mar 22 2022
• Updated : 5:27 ET, Mar 23 2022
• Published : Invalid Date,

THE sickening luxury enjoyed by Vladimir Putin on board his £500million superyacht is today revealed by The Sun — including tasteless gold loo roll holders.

Mad Vlad , whose forces are bombing women and children in Ukraine , spared no expense on the six-deck Scheherazade .

Pressure is mounting on Italy, where the yacht is anchored, to seize and sell it to benefit Ukrainians.

An ex-crew member said: “Russian people paid for it. Putin needs his head flushing down that golden throne.”

The Scheherazade’s official cost when finished two years ago was £500million — but insiders say it could be closer to £750million.

Pictures obtained by The Sun show six decks of obscene luxury and sickening excess.

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A worker who helped build it said: “Every surface is marble or gold. There are countless swimming pools, a spa, a sauna, a theatre, ballrooms, a gym, two helipads. It’s like a mini city.

“There is even a hospital which makes sense when you hear rumours of Putin being terminally ill.

“It is hard to swallow the fact that the most incredible ship in the world is owned by a man intent on bombing civilians in Ukraine.

“And it is an unimaginable amount of wealth when the average Russian’s salary is £5,000 a year, and people there are struggling to eat.”

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Since September 2020 the 459ft floating palace, named after a legendary Persian queen, has been moored in Marina di Carrara in Italy.

Rumours that Putin owned the yacht have circulated since its construction.

But its ownership was not investigated until jailed Putin critic Alexei Navalny ’s team released a video on Monday detailing the crew — all said to be from Russian security services.

Italian authorities have now been urged to seize the yacht. It is said to have a separate European crew only allowed on board when Putin is away.

Personal touches for the despot are evident in a judo gym which has framed pictures of black belts.

Books show Putin’s obsession with wealth, including The Atlas of Beauty by Mihaela Noroc, Fashion History from the Kyoto Costume Institute and Photo Icons by Hans-Michael Koetzle.

A tiled dancefloor lowers to turn into a pool. It is thought to be one of only two on ships in the world — the other is on Putin’s yacht Graceful.

Other indulgences include a self-levelling pool table, five-metre aquarium and the biggest TV on a yacht, stretching 4.5m across an entire wall, which cost a million euros to install.

Bathrooms are adorned with gold toilet roll holders and taps.

But it is clear Mad Vlad’s vessel is not just meant for pleasure.

It boasts two helipads capable of landing 16ft military helicopters.

The ship’s highly sophisticated security system with four radars is said to be capable of shooting down drones.

Underneath one helipad there is a hangar big enough to store a helicopter along with six jet skis, five tenders, and eight Seabobs.

The former crew member added: “All over the world yachts owned by oligarchs are being seized but the Scheherazade is sitting there in plain sight in a marina in Italy. It just doesn’t seem right.”

Flight details, obtained by Navalny’s team, reportedly show the Russian crew flying together to Milan, one of the closest airports in north west Italy.

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They believe the crew were visiting the port to keep watch on the ship.

Tory MP Tom Tugendhat told The Sun last night: “Putin’s pampered nautical palace was launched with cash stolen off the Russian people and now floats off the Italian Riviera showing us all the action we should take.”

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Brief History of Novgorod in Dates

The first and the only republic in russia, becoming a part of moscow state.

Important dates in history of Novgorod

Nature Trips Around Novgorod Region

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Take a walk through the most ancient Kremlin in Russia

The Novgorod Kremlin, which is also called ‘Detinets’, is located on the left bank of the Volkhov River. The first fortified settlement was set here during the reign of prince Vladimir Yaroslavich, the son of Yaroslav the Wise. During these times, all the state, public and religious life of Novgorod was concentrated here. It was the place where people kept chronicles and copied the texts of books. The Novgorod Kremlin, the most ancient one in Russia, was founded here in the 15th century.

St. Sophia Cathedral (11th century), The Millennium Of Russia Monument, Episcopal Chamber (15th century) and the main exhibition of The State Novgorod Museum-reservation located in a public office building of the 18th century are all situated in the Novgorod Kremlin. The exhibition will tell you about the whole Novgorod history from ancient times to the present day. There are also restoration workshops, a children’s center, a library and a philharmonic inside the Kremlin walls.

Send a letter with the State Novgorod Museum-reservation stamp

While visiting the main building of the Novgorod Kremlin museum, you’ll see a small bureau near the souvenir area. Two more bureaus like that can be found in the Fine Arts Museum and the Museum information centre. This is the Museum Post, the joint project of the State Novgorod Museum-reservation and Russian Post.

The tradition to exchange letters (at that time written on birch bark sheets) dates back to the 11th century so it’s hardly surprising that such a project appeared here. The bureaus are desks and mailboxes at the same time, so you can send your friends a postcard with a view of Novgorod right from the museum.

Find the famous Russian poet Alexander Pushkin among the figures of The Millennium Of Russia Monument

In 1862, 1000 years after the Varangians were called to Russia, a monument dedicated to this event was launched in Novgorod. To tell the story of Russia’s one thousand years, the sculptor used 129 bronze figures: from state and military leaders to artists and poets.

One of figures portrays Afanasy Ordin-Nashchokin, a politician and reformer who was responsible for Russia’s diplomatic relations in the middle of the 17th century. He is believed to be the father of international and regular mail in Russia. He was also the person who came up with the idea of the first Russian Post official emblem — a post horn and a double-headed eagle.

Cross the Msta River over the first arch bridge in Russia

The steel bridge in Borovichi town that connects two banks of the Msta river was built at the beginning of the 20th century. The project of the bridge was created by Nikolay Belelyubsky, engineer and professor of St. Petersburg State Transport University. This is the first arch bridge in Russia.

In 1995, it was included in the national cultural heritage register. More than 100 bridges across Russia were developed by Belelyubsky, but only this one is named after him.

Cast a virtual bell

When in the Novgorod region, you’ll definitely hear bells ring and learn about the Novgorod Veche Bell. During the siege of the city, tsar Ivan III ordered to remove this bell from the bell tower and send it to Moscow. Legend says that the bell didn’t accept his fate, fell to the ground near the border of the Novgorod region and broke to pieces against the stones.

In the biggest Museum Bell Centre in Russia located in the Valday town, you can see bells from across the world and learn why Novgorod bells are unique. The museum’s collection represents bells from different countries and ages, some of them dating back to the 3rd century BC. You’ll learn about the history of casting and modern bell-making technologies and also play games on a touch table. For example, harness virtual ‘troika’ (three) horses with bells or cast a virtual bell.

Spot the pigeon on the cross of St. Sophia Cathedral

St. Sophia Cathedral was built in Novrogod between 1045 and 1050 by Kievan and Byzantine masters. It was conceived as the main cathedral of the city, and during its first years it was the only stone building in Novgorod. So where does the pigeon on the cross of the cathedral’s biggest dome come from?

Legend says that while tsar Ivan the Terrible and his Oprichniki were cruelly killing peaceful city folk in 1570, a pigeon suddenly sat down to the cross of the city’s main cathedral. It looked down, saw the massacre, and was literally petrified with horror. Since then the pigeon has been considered the defender of the city. People believe that as soon as the pigeon flies away from the cross, Novgorod will come to an end.

Visit a monastery, that was founded by Patriarch Nikon

The Valday Iver Monastery is situated on the island in the middle of the Valday lake. It is considered to be one of the most important and picturesque orthodox shrines.

The monastery was founded in 1653 by the initiative of Nikon who had just been elected Patriarch. Nikon wanted the monastery to look like the Iviron Monastery on Mount Athos, including the architectural style and monk’s clothes. Legend says that Nikon saw the spot for the monastery in a dream.

Check out Fyodor Dostoevsky’s country house

Fyodor Dostoevsky, a famous Russian writer, first visited Staraya Russa town in 1872 during a summer trip with his family. They liked it so much that the next year they rented a house near the Pererytitsa River’s embankment and spent every summer here ever since.

Dostoevsky loved this house, called it ‘his nest’ and considered it the perfect place to work and to be alone. In Staraya Russa he wrote his novels ‘The Adolescent’, ‘The Brothers Karamazov’ and ‘Demons’. Today, this place is a museum where you can explore what Dostoevsky’s house looked like and see his family’s personal belongings, photos and letters.

Visit an authentic Russian ‘izba’ (wooden house)

If you want to really enjoy the atmosphere of the old Novgorod, you should come to the Vitoslavlitsy Museum of folk wooden architecture that is located on the Myachino lake not far away from Veliky Novgorod. In this open-air museum you’ll see the best examples of Russian wooden architecture, including authentic old ‘izbas’ (wooden houses), rural chapels and churches.

During the year, the museum hosts fairs of crafts and folklore, christmastides, and even an international bell ringing festival.

Learn what Brick Gothic looks like

The Episcopal Chamber of the Novgorod Kremlin is the only non-religious German Gothic building of the 15th century preserved in Russia. You can have a good look at the facets of the gothic cross-domed vaults inside the chamber. This is why this building is also called ‘Faceted Chamber’ or ‘Chamber of Facets’.

The chamber was part of Vladychny Dvor, the place where all important city events took place: court hearings, gatherings of the Council of Lords of the Novgorod Republic, ambassador’s receptions and feasts. The seals of the city’s lords were kept here. The decree of tsar Ivan III on merging the Novgorod Republic with the Moscow State was first announced in 1478 in Episcopal Chamber. This is when the name of the new state, Russia, was first pronounced.

See the murals by Theophanes the Greek

The Byzantine Empire had a huge impact on the development of the Russian culture. Many works of art and architecture in ancient Russia were created by Byzantine artists and masters. Theophanes the Greek was one of them. He was born in Byzantine and created icons and murals in Constantinople and Caffa (modern Feodosia). After that he moved to Novgorod where he was commissioned to paint the walls of the Church of the Transfiguration of the Savior on Ilyina Street. You can enjoy his unique and expressive style if you look at the murals inside the dome of the church and the Trinity side chapel.

The most recognizable and the only monumental work of Theophanes the Greek that is preserved today is the chest-high portrait of the Savior the Almighty in the dome of the Church of the Transfiguration of the Savior.

Take a photo with an ancient Novgorod citizen who is learning how to read and write

In 1951, a letter written on birch bark dating back to the 14–15th centuries was found in Veliky Novgorod. Many decades later, in 2019, a sculpture designed by Novgorod artist and sculptor Sergey Gaev appeared on this exact site.

The sculpture portrays an 8–year old boy sitting on a stool and holding a piece of birch bark. At this age children in Novgorod started to learn how to read and write. During archaeological excavations in Novgorod, scientists often found ancient handwriting practice books and children’s drawings on birch bark sheets.

Feel like an ancient viking or prince Rurik’s guest

Novgorod is one of the waypoints of the famous trade route from the Varangians to the Greeks. The route passed through the Volkhov river. In the 9–10th centuries there was a fortified settlement of the Viking Age here.

Some scientists believe that Novgorod is named after this area which was called ‘Stary Gorod’ (‘Old City’) at that time. Some historians and archeologists consider this place to be the residence of Prince Rurik who was asked to rule the city in 862. That’s why this ancient settlement is called ‘Rurikovo Gorodische’ (‘Ruruk’s Old City’).

Learn more about the Soviet modernist architecture

On the bank of the Volkhov river near the Novgorod Kremlin, there is an incredible building that looks like a spaceship and contrasts strongly with the ancient buildings of the city.

This is the Fyodor Dostoevsky Theater of Dramatic Art that was built in 1987. It is one of the most striking examples of the Soviet modernist architecture. The theater was built for 10 years according to the project of architect Vladimir Somov.

See what an everyday life of Old Believers looks like

The Krestsy town in the Novgorod region has always been considered to be the center of the Novgorod Old Belief community, and it still is. Before the Soviet revolution there were three Old Believers churches here.

The Lyakova village, which is located not far from the town, used to be inhabited completely by Old Believers. You can learn more about their lifestyle in the local interactive museum. You’ll be introduced to Old Believers’ traditional crafts and ceremonies, drink tea with healing herbs and learn how to chop wood and use an old spinning wheel.

Buy a traditional embroidered tablecloth

A unique embroidery style that is now famous all over the world was born in the Staroye Rakhino village in the Novgorod province. By the middle of the 19th century, it had become a folk craft. Since then, linen tablecloths, towels and clothing items decorated with unusual ornaments have been popular not only among the locals, but also travellers.

In 1929, the first cooperative partnership of embroidery masters was created in Kresttsy. Later it turned into a factory that still operates today. The factory has a museum where embroidery traditions are preserved and new ornaments and technologies are created.

Find yourself in the Middle Ages

In the Middle Ages, Staraya Russa town could be called ‘the salt cellar of Russia’. That’s because salt making was the main trade here up to the 19th century. A few years ago, the old craft was brought back to life, and construction of salt works began. Later, an interactive museum was launched based on the results of archaeological findings.

This museum recreates a typical medieval manor of Staraya Russa of the 12th century with living rooms, a bathhouse, workshops, a livestock pen and traditional peasant household items. In this museum, you can also buy salt which is made in the same way as 1000 years ago.

See the place where Suvorov started his Italian campaign

Alexander Suvorov’s manor in the Konchanskoe village, which has now become the museum of the great commander, was originally the place of his exile. Suvovor openly disagreed with the reform of Russian’s army based on the Prussian model, and Emperor Paul the First didn’t appreciate such behaviour. He first fired Suvorov and then sent him away to his family estate.

However, the exile lasted for only two years. The great commander started the military campaign straight from his house in the Konchanskoe. During this legendary expedition, he crossed the Alps and defeated the French army.

Become a real hiker

If you dream of having a hike in the Novgorod region, but at the same time you are afraid that a tourist’s life may be too hard, you should try the Big Valday trail. This is a five-day 59-kilometer walking route. Its central part goes right through the Valday National Park’s territory.

You won’t have to cope with difficulties and inconveniences of camping life here. The route is marked with signs, and there are camping sites where you can find everything you need for an overnight stay from shelters and places for a fire to toilets. The trail finishes at the Dunayevshchina village where you can take a bus back to Valday. To take the trail, you have to fill out a special form and register on the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Russian Federation website.

Russian Post has launched a limited series of products dedicated to the cultural heritage of the Novgorod region.

In autumn 2020, Russian Post announced an open contest to create the design for its limited series dedicated to Novgorod region. The project was supported by the Government of the Novgorod region, ‘Russ Novgorodskaya’ (Novgorod Russia) project, the State Novgorod Museum-reservation and Yandex.

Stamps and envelopes are traditionally used to spread information about historic dates and figures and famous landmarks. Now we can also use parcel boxes, packaging tape and postcards. The limited series products will travel around the world, introducing the most popular Russian attractions to six million Russian Post clients daily.

The participants were to create the design for the limited series featuring three iconic attractions of the Novgorod region, the Novgorod Kremlin, the Millennium Of Russia Monument and the Belelyubsky Bridge in Borovichi. Moscow designers and graduates of the Higher School of Economics’ Art and Design School Alena Akmatova and Svetlana Ilyushina won the contest. Their project was chosen via an open vote and by the expert jury.