Comments on: Who knew Russia had so many elaborate mansions??

By: Chance

Chance — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 17:47:46 +0000

Ah Russia, good to know people in the government, cause only the connected live in houses like this.

By: Mike F

Mike F — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 09:15:20 +0000

You’re probably right about that. I asked an older guy about moving to Russia. He’s been there a long time, and I told him I really wanted to go there. He looked at me very serious, and told me to forget it. Not at all what we think it is to actually live there.

Ukraine is somewhat different. Used to know an American living there. He enjoyed it very much.

By: Rhyne

Rhyne — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 07:17:26 +0000

There’s no such thing as entrepreneurship in Russia. You can’t start or own a business there unless you pay protection money to the local gangster.

Russia is nothing like people imagine it to be.

By: Stewie

Stewie — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:11:50 +0000

During the boomtime when the money from former (communist) government-owned companies landed in the hands of a few businessmen who got ridiculously wealthy over night, Russians made real estate records all across the world, especially spending huge amounts on property in the South of France (ie Monaco, Nice, St Tropez) and London. However, the rich Russians have been hit very very hard by the recession, with many of them wiped off the rich list and/or losing billions of dollars. Oleg Deripaska for example has lost 90% of his wealth or something like that. The get-rich quick scheme from the collapse of communism is now over and Russians will now need to get rich the old fashioned way again – through entrepreneurial business. I don’t think they’ll be throwing around with money in the future quite the way they used to

By: Venom

Venom — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 02:36:35 +0000

Damn, these Russians know how to party.

By: Kieran

Kieran — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 21:22:54 +0000

I thought Russia were the orginal socialists? With elaborate Mansions since before America was born? …some dickhead had to say it :p

By: Rhyne

Rhyne — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 20:58:36 +0000

These people are all crooks, including Kadyrov who lives in luxury while his people die from starvation. He can get away with it because he’s Putin’s puppet.

That grand mansion looks tacky as hell. Looks like he took his Amber Room fantasies and applied it to the whole house! Expensive, I’m sure, but so is a solid gold toilet.

By: Mike F

Mike F — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:40:28 +0000

They have many “elite cottage areas”, where houses can be very large. Have seen some wonderful estates there.

Recently I read an article about the Russian paradise being built, a new village without poor people in it This is a reality for some Russians.

Have noticed that some of the estates, or cottages as some do call them, have a somewhat different quality. Price does not always go together with good planning, decorating and quality.

The Agalarov Estates are being built by an American construction company, probably using Western materials, so the quality there should not be an issue.

Admin, perhaps you should look at some of the greater estates in Ukraine also? You can find some really good ones there too!

By: Patrick

Patrick — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:44:27 +0000

It makes sense. “New money” countries (countries that move from communism to capitalism) often have incredibly rich industrialists overnight. As a “habit” industry is “handed” to certain individuals to dominate–just as government positions were “handed” to comrades in the prior era.

Look at your previous post about Armenia and multiply it by 100 times and you get Russia. They have billionaires like the US has millionairs–most of whom were simply given their industry by political powers and not merit.

I actually don’t have a problem with that. Most people are more suited to sell shoes than to produce them. The end result is a higher standard of living for everyone where the “old way” ensured a lower standard of living for everyone. Now if the US can do some re-learning…