Lukashenko builds huge residence near Sochi – photo
A private company linked to self-proclaimed Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko is building a huge residence with a hotel, restaurant complex and chalets in the mountains near Sochi in Russia's Krasnodar Krai.
Source: a joint investigation by Belsat journalists and the association of former Belarusian security officials BELPOL, The Insider reports.
Details: The residence is reportedly located in the village of Krasnaya Polyana and promises to be luxurious, with its walls made of monolithic reinforced concrete, gilded door handles, swimming pools, kitchens, restaurants, a private office and ‘heavily armed guards’.
BELPOL has obtained the design documents of the Krasnodargrazhdanproekt group of companies, which is building the residence. The construction plan includes 12 buildings with a total area of 7,374 sq m on a land lot of more than 97,248 sq m. One-third of the construction area is occupied by the main building designed for the owner.
The main building will house a dressing room, a banqueting hall, a kitchen for cold and hot dishes, a dining room, a living room, a bathroom (adapted for people with limited mobility), a cinema theatre, security guards and an office.
On the underground floor, there will be a swimming pool, Russian and Turkish baths, a massage room, a fitness room, a security room, a laundry room, a server room and even a ski room.
At the top of the manor, there will be a 62-square-metre living room and a 20-square-metre bath. There will be two smaller bedrooms of 36 square metres each, and the master bedroom of 55 square metres.
Three VIP cottages were designed near the main building, 730 sq m each. One of them is adapted for people with special needs. They are equipped with swimming pools, a dining room, three bedrooms, etc.
There is also a hotel with only four rooms of 348 sq m on the map of the site. Here, the underground floor is for the staff. On the ground floor, there is a foyer, toilets and reception area, as well as a 74-square-metre dining room for 24 people. On the second floor, there are four rooms, each of 47 square metres.
There is also a restaurant complex on the territory, which is larger than the hotel. Sports infrastructure, a checkpoint, a garage and a security building with six beds in the recreation area and an armoury are there, too.
BELPOL believes that the new complex is being built for Lukashenko, as his closest associates and "wallets" are involved in the purchase and construction scheme.
Belsat assumes that Lukashenko will use this estate after he leaves the presidency, either voluntarily or by force. He apparently decided to build a residence outside Belarus after the 2020 elections and subsequent protests.
Investigators say that the residence is being built "covertly, through a shell company, behind a high fence, and they are afraid that information about the purpose of this building will leak into the media".
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