March 20, 2025

Necropolis for Putin's Elite Replaces Forest


Necropolis for Putin's Elite Replaces Forest
Vladimir Putin and Denis Manturov. The Presidential Press and Information Office, Wikimedia Commons.

A church complex featuring an underground necropolis is under construction near an elite village in the Moscow Oblast, closely associated with Russian Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov, who oversees the nation's defense industry.

The investigative project Sistema, produced by Current Time and Radio Liberty, reported that the complex spans 14 acres (6 hectares) near the Klyazma Reservoir. It includes a church that can hold 400 worshippers, a spiritual and educational center, a playground, and parking for 90 vehicles. Beneath the main church, an underground necropolis contains burial vaults intended for major donors, and a helipad has been constructed adjacent to the facility.

The complex is situated near the upscale village of Pirogovo, controlled by the Guta Group, which maintains close ties to Manturov. According to Sistema, Manturov and his family own properties in Pirogovo valued at roughly R10 billion (approximately $115 million).

Manturov first acquired land in the area in 2008, shortly after his appointment as deputy minister of industry and trade. Subsequently, other high-ranking officials and associates of President Vladimir Putin, including Sergei Chemezov, head of state corporation Rostec; Anton Vaino, head of Putin’s presidential administration; and former Putin aide Igor Shuvalov, also purchased real estate there.

Sistema cited a construction contractor who identified Manturov as the initiator of the church complex. Legal entities representing the church’s parish and associated foundation share a registration address in Pirogovo, connected to the Guta Group.

Construction required clearing a forested area outside Pirogovo, including the "Les Pobedy" (Forest of Victory), a grove planted by local residents honoring veterans of the Great Patriotic War. Moscow regional authorities authorized the clearing.

By late 2023, construction expenses on the project had reached R1.6 billion (approximately $20 million), managed through a special fund financed by voluntary contributions. Donations had surpassed R3 billion (approximately $40 million) over the same time period. A contractor told Sistema that funds came not only from Manturov but also from other Pirogovo residents.

Additionally, Sistema reported that Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin may have visited the complex in 2022, along with Manturov's mother and Yulia Kupetskaya, head of the Mytishchi district administration, who facilitated the land transfer to the Pirogovo project.

You Might Also Like

Orthodox Church Rising
  • January 14, 2025

Orthodox Church Rising

The power of the ROC is growing in the government, according to independent publication Verstka.
Ghost of Economy Future
  • December 15, 2024

Ghost of Economy Future

Russian analysts give their forecasts for what the economy might look like in early 2025.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

Bears in the Caviar

Bears in the Caviar

Bears in the Caviar is a hilarious and insightful memoir by a diplomat who was “present at the creation” of US-Soviet relations. Charles Thayer headed off to Russia in 1933, calculating that if he could just learn Russian and be on the spot when the US and USSR established relations, he could make himself indispensable and start a career in the foreign service. Remarkably, he pulled it of.
93 Untranslatable Russian Words

93 Untranslatable Russian Words

Every language has concepts, ideas, words and idioms that are nearly impossible to translate into another language. This book looks at nearly 100 such Russian words and offers paths to their understanding and translation by way of examples from literature and everyday life. Difficult to translate words and concepts are introduced with dictionary definitions, then elucidated with citations from literature, speech and prose, helping the student of Russian comprehend the word/concept in context.
Fish: A History of One Migration

Fish: A History of One Migration

This mesmerizing novel from one of Russia’s most important modern authors traces the life journey of a selfless Russian everywoman. In the wake of the Soviet breakup, inexorable forces drag Vera across the breadth of the Russian empire. Facing a relentless onslaught of human and social trials, she swims against the current of life, countering adversity and pain with compassion and hope, in many ways personifying Mother Russia’s torment and resilience amid the Soviet disintegration.
The Frogs Who Begged for a Tsar (bilingual)

The Frogs Who Begged for a Tsar (bilingual)

The fables of Ivan Krylov are rich fonts of Russian cultural wisdom and experience – reading and understanding them is vital to grasping the Russian worldview. This new edition of 62 of Krylov’s tales presents them side-by-side in English and Russian. The wonderfully lyrical translations by Lydia Razran Stone are accompanied by original, whimsical color illustrations by Katya Korobkina.
A Taste of Russia

A Taste of Russia

The definitive modern cookbook on Russian cuisine has been totally updated and redesigned in a 30th Anniversary Edition. Layering superbly researched recipes with informative essays on the dishes' rich historical and cultural context, A Taste of Russia includes over 200 recipes on everything from borshch to blini, from Salmon Coulibiac to Beef Stew with Rum, from Marinated Mushrooms to Walnut-honey Filled Pies. A Taste of Russia shows off the best that Russian cooking has to offer. Full of great quotes from Russian literature about Russian food and designed in a convenient wide format that stays open during use.
The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

This exciting new trilogy by a Russian author – who has been compared to Orhan Pamuk and Umberto Eco – vividly recreates a lost world, yet its passions and characters are entirely relevant to the present day. Full of mystery, memorable characters, and non-stop adventure, The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas is a must read for lovers of historical fiction and international thrillers.  
Murder and the Muse

Murder and the Muse

KGB Chief Andropov has tapped Matyushkin to solve a brazen jewel heist from Picasso’s wife at the posh Metropole Hotel. But when the case bleeds over into murder, machinations, and international intrigue, not everyone is eager to see where the clues might lead.
The Little Humpbacked Horse (bilingual)

The Little Humpbacked Horse (bilingual)

A beloved Russian classic about a resourceful Russian peasant, Vanya, and his miracle-working horse, who together undergo various trials, exploits and adventures at the whim of a laughable tsar, told in rich, narrative poetry.
The Little Golden Calf

The Little Golden Calf

Our edition of The Little Golden Calf, one of the greatest Russian satires ever, is the first new translation of this classic novel in nearly fifty years. It is also the first unabridged, uncensored English translation ever, and is 100% true to the original 1931 serial publication in the Russian journal 30 Dnei. Anne O. Fisher’s translation is copiously annotated, and includes an introduction by Alexandra Ilf, the daughter of one of the book’s two co-authors.
Survival Russian

Survival Russian

Survival Russian is an intensely practical guide to conversational, colloquial and culture-rich Russian. It uses humor, current events and thematically-driven essays to deepen readers’ understanding of Russian language and culture. This enlarged Second Edition of Survival Russian includes over 90 essays and illuminates over 2000 invaluable Russian phrases and words.
Murder at the Dacha

Murder at the Dacha

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin has a problem. Several, actually. Not the least of them is the fact that a powerful Soviet boss has been murdered, and Matyushkin's surly commander has given him an unreasonably short time frame to close the case.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955