Meet the Russian trout farmer planning a major overseas expansion.
In a surprising turn of events, it appears that Russian President Vladimir Putin has ventured into the world of trout farming.
A sprawling estate, rumored to belong to the Russian leader has been exposed by the Dossier Centre, a Russian investigative journalism project based in London.
The estate, nestled on the shores of Lake Ladoga’s Majalahti Bay, near the Russian-Finnish border, is protected by round-the-clock security, complete with barbed-wire fences, intelligence officers, and drone jammers.
The complex houses three charming properties—The Barn, The Fisherman’s Hut, and The Garden House. The interiors are said to feature lavish amenities including £8,000 bidets and Italian marble floors estimated at £85,000.
The primary purpose of the trout farm it to provide guests with fresh fish from the pristine, freshwater Lake Ladoga but the estate’s guards are reported to sell surplus stock to locals in the surrounding area.
Additionally, the estate boasts two helipads, several jetties, a herd of cows for wagyu production, and even a factory equipped with nearly £300,000 worth of Austrian brewing equipment, capable of producing 82 pints of beer a day.
Putin is said to visit the residence at least once a year after praying at the nearby Valaam monastery, according to locals. His security is ensured by the Kremlin’s guard service, while neighbouring islands are locked down for the duration of the president’s stay.
The site is also home to a four-metre waterfall that is supposed to be accessible to visitors to the Ladoga Skerries national park. However, access has been blocked off for outsiders while a gazebo at the residence provides close-up up views of the cascading waters.
“It is for the only person who can steal a waterfall — the Russian president,” the Dossier Center said.
Russian opposition figures have claimed that Putin, who has been in power for almost a quarter of a century, is one of the richest individuals in the world.
The Dossier Center is funded by Mikhail Khodorkovsky, a former Russian oligarch who spent ten years in prison after speaking out about high-level corruption. He was released early by Putin before the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi and now lives in Britain.
