The Kamchia development, known among some locals as “The Russian Complex,” stands on the Black Sea coast in Bulgaria.

The Kamchia development, known among some locals as “The Russian Complex,” stands on the Black Sea coast in Bulgaria.

Source: Kamchia

Russia’s Old ‘Trojan Horse’ Plays East Against West

Spies, conspiracies and energy deals: There’s a new Cold War feel to Bulgaria.

Hidden away from the holiday resorts and quietly rundown villages on Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast lies what locals refer to as “The Russian Complex.”

The 200 million-euro ($217 million) development was the pet project of former Moscow Mayor Yury Luzhkov for kids and athletes. Called Kamchia after the river nearby, it has a hotel, theaters, a cinema and a TV studio. It caters to 35 sports and includes an Olympic-sized swimming pool. There’s a school with a planetarium and a tribute to the Russian space program, replete with a giant mural of astronaut Yuri Gagarin.