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Paranoid Putin rings the forest palace he shares with his lover with more than 50 missile positions

Vladimir Putin and Alina Kabaeva, whose shared Valdai retreat is now ringed by more than 50 missile positions at a projected cost nearing £1 billion.
Vladimir Putin and Alina Kabaeva, whose shared Valdai retreat is now ringed by more than 50 missile positions at a projected cost nearing £1 billion.

More than 15 fresh missile towers have been erected in an outer southern arc around Vladimir Putin's Valdai complex in the Novgorod region, oriented toward Ukraine. One launcher lies just 1,312 feet from the retreat he shares with Alina Kabaeva, 43, and their two young sons. The surrounding area holds a population below 100,000, yet the defences now rival those of the Moscow region, which shelters 20 million people. The total cost is expected to near £1 billion.

A survey of towers near the palace earlier this month counted 30. The number has since climbed past 50.

Moscow alleged that Ukraine attempted a drone strike on Valdai in January; Kyiv denied the claim and the CIA dismissed it.

Two defensive posts have been placed near Lisy Island, which is reportedly home to a laboratory with ties to bioweapons research.

MoreDaily Mail NewsParanoid Putin ramps up air defence around forest palace he shares with gymnast lover as long-range Ukrainian strikes continueYahoo News UKParanoid Putin Scrambles to Shield His Lair From DronesReutersRussia says it caught Ukrainian agents preparing close range drone attack on Moscow's air defences
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