The so-called “Putin’s Palace”, an elite recreational complex built for Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin in violation of Russian environmental laws, is formally owned by the Indokopas company. However, according to different sources, the real host of the palace is Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.

All the activists were sticking to a peaceful non-conflict tactics. The aim of the inspection was to model the situation when ordinary Russian citizens attempt to pass through these formally public territories past the “Putin’s Palace”.

The public inspection again revealed the facts of serious violations of the water and forestry legislation. The Indokopas company and private security company Rubin had illegally made a kind of "private protected area" around the palace seizing public territories of the Black Sea shoreline and the forest in violation of the Forest and Water Codes of the Russian Federation.

The activists entered this territory at 17:40. And almost immediately were stopped by ten security guards and frontier guards. After the activists produced their public inspection credentials the frontier guards left, however, the security detained the activists without giving any reasons. They did not allow the activists to cross this zone towards Praskoveyevka village (neither by the beach, nor by the public road, nor through the forest). Instead the guards proposed the “only way out” – making 15 kilometers at night by foot back to another village – Krinitza.

Only after the activists called the police, the head of the security allowed them go through the forest prohibiting using any roads or paths that, according to him, suddenly turned out to be “all private”.

So late in the evening the activists decided to go to their destination village along the river, however, the securities on motocycles accompanied the group not allowing them to get to any road. Dressed in black uniform and with police batons the security resembled nazies. All the time the activists reached some road the securities prohibited them to use it. Soon it became clear that they received an order to “teach them a lesson” so that to make the environmentalists keep away from the Indokopas company and “Putin’s Palace”. So the activists had to make a very difficult three-hours march through the forest via a mountain pass and past a canyon. Such a trip endangered their lives, the activists were all bruised and bleeding when late at night they managed to get on the road by Praskeyevka village.

The actions by the security of the “Putin’s Palace” were absolutely unlawful, moreover the security on purpose endangered the lives of the environmentalists. The police did not come to rescue despite of the fact that the call made by the activists was registered by the local police department.

However, the environmentalists are determined to make the authorities to lift a ban (made by the Indokopas company) to pass though these public lands.

See also:

Human Rights

YABLOKO Against Corruption

Protection of Environment

Environmentalists crash ‘Putin’s seaside palace. France 24, The Observers
July 5, 2011

Sergei Mitrokhin: tortures in the name of Christ. Sergei Mitrokhin’s blog at the Echo Moskvi web-site, July 5, 2011

YABLOKO’s activists arrested by “Putin’s country cottage” at the Black Sea Coast. Press Release, June 25, 2011.

Tuapse printing facility refused to print YABLOKO’s bulletin for the rally obeying the order from the authorities. Press Release, June 24, 2011.

YABLOKO’s activists get imprisonment verdicts, Press Release, February 28, 2011

Young YABLOKO activists hang a banner “Freedom to Political Prisoners!” opposite of the Kremlin. Press Release, March 3, 2011.

Friendly Oligarch Buys 'Putin' Palace . The Moscow Times, March 4, 2011.

Press Release

July 27, 2011