PARANOID tyrant Vladimir Putin has reportedly boosted air defences around his bunker palace where he cowers with his gymnast “lover” and two sons.
Despite the Russian president pretending to engage with Donald Trump to end the war in Ukraine – in reality he is preparing to hunker down as his brutal invasion rages on.
The lavish Valdai residence in Novgorod is now surrounded by no less than 20 modern air defence systems, according to new research.
The pariah president is believed to be hiding there with Russia’s so-called “First Mistress”, Alina Kabaeva, 42, and the couple’s two sons Ivan 10, and six-year-old Vladimir Junior.
Putin, 73, appears scared of Ukraine’s new domestically-produced long range strike capabilities such as the state-of-the-art Flamingo cruise missile.
The sophisticated new weapon boasts an impressive range of 1,865 miles.
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There were only 12 systems integrated with the Valdai palace’s steel ring in August – and just over one year ago, there were only seven.
The forest palace, 230 miles northwest of Moscow, is believed to host an underground nuclear bunker and hospital facilities.
It is kept under wraps to ordinary Russians but acts as a key fortress for the dictator, padded out with immense security.
Putin and his partner, Olympic gymnast Kabaeva are guarded by mostly Pantsir-M and well as S-400 air defence systems.
Recent reports say Putin has moved here and for now hardly uses his official residence Novo-Ogarevo on the outskirts of Moscow – within easier range of Ukrainian strikes.
The giant estate is guarded by a federal security service and penalties for encroachers include two years “correctional labour” and fines of up to £5,300.
Kabaeva – an Olympic gold-medal winning rhythmic gymnast – is known to own a large wooden home in the sprawling grounds which she shares with their children.
This is separate from the main “golden” mansion.
Independent media revelations say Kabaeva gave birth to one Putin child in 2015 in Switzerland, and another four years later in Moscow.
Some rumours suggest they have a larger family together.
Their relationship started after Putin broke from another secret mistress Svetlana Krivonogikh, 50, mother of his love child Luiza Rozova, 23.
Proekt said: “Located about the same distance from Putin and Kabaeva’s houses is a huge spa complex with a solarium, a cryo chamber, a 25-metre swimming pool, a hammam, a sauna, a mud room, massage baths, cosmetology and dentistry areas.”
The investigation reveals there is a “constant presence of children in the residence”.
“In the summers of 2020 and 2021, a small karting track was set up on the site of the former helipads.
“And right next to the residence, a large children’s playground in yellow and blue was erected deep in the woods between 2016 and 2020.”
Putin uses his “personal armoured train” to travel to his lakeside hideout.
“For this reason, a secret, guarded station was built near his residence,” Proekt reported.
The despot has created a trio of high-security bunker palaces across Russia as he grows increasingly scared of being killed, according to high-ranking Kremlin defector Gleb Karakulov.
Kabaeva, the gymnast once dubbed “Russia’s most flexible woman” won an Olympic gold in 2004 and has shot nude photos for Maxim.
She had become lovers with Vlad by 2006 and just one year later, Kabaeva’s former boyfriend, singer Murat Nasyrov, died in a suspicious “fall” from a fifth-floor balcony.
The Kremlin’s fury at any mention of Putin’s private life was laid bare in 2008, when a Moscow tabloid reported that he and Kabaeva were to wed.
Putin railed against reporters for sticking their “snot-ridden noses” into his affairs – and the paper was swiftly raided, its editor forced out, and the publication shuttered.
Inside mysterious u0026 glam life of Putin’s gymnast lover
RUSASIA’S so-called “First Mistress”, Alina Kabaeva, 42, lives a continuous life of glamour and mystery but has allegedly spent recent months holed up inside Putin’s secret forest palace.
Since 2008, the brunette bombshell has been the target of sustained speculation that she is Putin’s secret lover and the mother of his youngest kids.
The gymnast-turned-politician is now rumoured to be missing in the wake of last month’s bizarre reports Putin had croaked.
Public appearances by the despot’s young mistress halted in the last week of October – the same day the rumours broke that Putin had suffered a heart attack.
The woman that has never shied from the spotlight appears to have gone to ground.
Alina, who is 31 years younger than Putin, shot to fame as “Russia’s most flexible woman” after picking up hoards of international medals for gymnastics in her teens.
She went on to win Gold at the 2004 Athens Games and Bronze at the 2000 in Sydney.
The athlete is one of most decorated gymnasts in history, with 2 Olympic medals, 14 World Championship medals, and 21 European Championship medals.
She would later lose six of her World Championship medals for doping.
Her celebrity status was fully secured after she posed naked for a men’s magazine in 2004.
In heavy makeup and partially draped in fur, the nude sporting star smiled provocatively at the camera.
Photographer Mikhail Korolov commented: “I didn’t even need to persuade her. She behaved very naturally. She’s full of sex.”
After retiring from gymnastics, Alina threw herself into a quickly-developed career in politics.
She became a member of the Russian Parliament between 2007 and 2014, representing the United Russia party and voting for various controversial anti-LGBT laws.
It was quite the career move for a woman who had dabbled in modelling and singing.
The Olympic legend was later appointed chair of Moscow’s most important pro-Kremlin TV and newspaper empire, National Media Group — despite having no experience.
Throughout the years, it appears that Putin’s presumed lover has somewhat relished her role as “the uncrowned queen of Russia” – or at least enjoyed the gossip behind it.
The Kremlin has given the boys the false surname Spiridonov and erased records of their existence.
Kabaeva has been rewarded handsomely for her loyalty.
In 2014, Putin installed her as head of National Media Group on a reported £7.7million salary, and she also holds a major stake in Bank Rossiya.
The lovers were even seen wearing matching wedding rings at the Sochi Olympics, where Kabaeva lit the torch – by then known as Russia’s “secret First Lady”.