Putin's state residence Rus in Zavidovo

The residence is situated in the Zavidovo nature reserve. According to UNESCO, Zavidovo is one of the most environmentally safe places on the planet. The nature reserve is 150 kilometres away from Moscow in both the Moscow and Tver regions on the banks of the rivers Shosha /the Volga's tributary/ and Lama and the Ivankovskoye water reserve. The territory of the reserve is divided into three categories: under special control, under control and uncontrolled.

The nature reserve occupies 125,000 hectares. It is rich in various species of fauna. There are 41 species of mammals, including weasel, ermine, brown bear, lynx and fox there. 90 villages with a total of 20,000 residents are situated within the reserve.

The first military-hunting societies emerged in Zavidovo after the civil war. They were set up by Red Army commissars and commanders. In 1931 the nature reserve was given the official status of a military-hunting ground.

On August 1st, 1951, the military-hunting ground was broken up.

In the early 1960s, a decision was made to reestablish a hunting ground in Zavidovo. The nature reserve was visited by Josip Broz Tito, Fidel Castro, Erich Honecker, Urho Kekkonen and Janos Kadar.

In 1971 a state research-experimental reserve was formed on the basis of the Zavidovo hunting ground of the USSR Defence Ministry.

On August 18th, 1996, following the instructions of President Boris Yeltsin the Zavidovo state complex was given the status of a presidential residence.

The Rus residence includes a hotel, a hunting base, basins, saunas, a boating station and economic facilities.