Vladimir Putin has revamped his £1 billion clifftop palace, getting rid of his pole-dancing boudoir and installing a church with a 'throne' for his personal use.

The dictator, 71, was stung when investigative journalists working with Alexei Navalny's anti-corruption foundation (FBK) discovered the gaudy Gelendzhik castle overlooking the Black Sea three years ago.

Amid a scandal over misuse of state funds, the Kremlin claimed it belonged instead to his childhood friend Arkady Rotenburg, 72, who told reporters he was creating a sumptuous 'apart-hotel'.