{
  "id": 9556528,
  "title": "Putin’s Sochi residence was demolished and rebuilt from scratch. A contractor linked to his friend Arkady Rotenberg is behind the project, BBC’s Russian Service reports.",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/24/putins-sochi-residence-was-demolished-and-rebuilt-from-scratch-a",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-24T12:04:27.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Meduza (English)",
    "slug": "meduza-english",
    "url": "https://meduza.io/en/feature/2026/09/24/putin-s-sochi-residence-was-demolished-and-rebuilt-from-scratch-a-contractor-linked-to-his-friend-arkady-rotenberg-is-behind-the-project-bbc-s-russian-service-reports"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Construction of a new residence for Vladimir Putin in Sochi is nearing completion, with the old buildings demolished in 2024. The Crimea-based Transstroyinvest Group of Companies is the general contractor for the project, which is linked to Putin's friend Arkady Rotenberg. This classified state defense contract covers the reconstruction from 2023 to 2027, with a fixed price and no competitive bidding or auction. The company has also built dachas in occupied Crimea for Putin and Alexander Bortnikov, the director of Russia's Federal Security Service. Construction workers were recruited through social media and job listings, with piece-rate pay in cash, three meals a day, and accommodation in a hostel with a pool. Despite Putin visiting Sochi less frequently due to Russia's war in Ukraine, construction has continued at the strategic facility.",
  "summary": "Construction of a new Bocharov Ruchey residence for Vladimir Putin is nearing completion in Sochi: the old buildings there were demolished in 2024, and by the fall of 2026 new ones had already gone up in their place. The general contractor for the construction is the Crimea-based Transstroyinvest Group of Companies, which is tied to Putin’s friend Arkady Rotenberg, BBC Russia reports.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}