Putin's $1.3bn palace is mine, says Russian billionaire Arkady Rotenberg

Leader's former judo partner says he owns mansion linked to the president by Kremlin critic Alexey Navalny

Arkady Rotenberg said he bought the palace two years ago. EPA

Russian businessman Arkady Rotenberg said on Saturday that he owns a huge palace in southern Russia that jailed Kremlin critic Alexey Navalny has linked to President Vladimir Putin.

"Now it will no longer be a secret: I am the beneficiary," the president's former judo partner said in a video published by the Mash Telegram channel. "There was a rather complicated facility, there were a lot of creditors, and I managed to become the beneficiary."

Other than to reveal he bought the $1.3 billion palace two years ago, Mr Rotenberg gave no further financial details of the purchase or how it had been funded.

Mr Putin had denied ownership of the palace.

Navalny and his Anti-Corruption Foundation published a video in which they alleged the opulent mansion belonged to the Russian leader. The video has been viewed more than 103 million times.

Mr Navalny was remanded in custody for 30 days on January 18 for alleged parole violations which he says were trumped up. He was arrested after flying back to Moscow from Germany where he had been recovering from a nerve agent poisoning last August.

Following his arrest, thousands of people joined unsanctioned protests across Russia last Saturday to demand his release. Further protest rallies are planned for Sunday. The authorities have said the gatherings are illegal and are vowing to break them up.

Mediazona editor-in-chief Sergey Smirnov was released from police custody on Saturday after being detained earlier in the day on suspicion of taking part in a protest in Moscow last weekend, the independent online media outlet said.

Mr Smirnov faces a court hearing on February 3, the RIA news agency said. He could face up to 30 days in jail or a fine of up to 300,000 roubles ($4,000) or compulsory labour.

Mr Rotenberg was among the Russian officials and business executives blacklisted by the US and other western powers after Russia's annexation of Crimea in March 2014.

He sold his stake in gas pipeline construction firm Stroygazmontazh in 2019 for a sum which the RBC business daily put at 75bn roubles.