Russian Leaders' Palaces Spark Fury

Almost a century after Tsar Nicholas II was overthrown, Russians are once again grumbling about their leaders' palaces. The Russian regime doesn't provide information on leaders' residences, but Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and President Dmitry Medvedev are believed to have at least two dozen palaces, villas, and mansions between them, the Independent reports.

The list includes castles, dachas, and even a ski resort. The most controversial is a palace being built by the Black Sea at a cost of over a billion dollars, which a whistleblower says is for Putin's personal use. Photographs of the palace were published last month by ruleaks.net, a site described as the Russian equivalent of WikiLeaks.
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