UPDATE: Yelena Isinbáyeva officially lives in the south of Tenerife

The news published on Wednesday (July 12^th) that one of Vladimir Putin’s senior officials, and still a commander in his army, Yelena Isinbáyeva, was spotted in Tenerife, has not only caused skepticism among readers but also uproar in Russia who are trying to deny it. However, a Spanish newspaper, El Digital Sur, now has the facts that she isn’t hiding here but is a legal resident of the island.

After the story broke, gazeta.ru published a statement from the deputy of DUMA, Svetlana Zhurova, saying: "The Spanish media are providing incorrect information about Yelena Isinbáyeva's arrival in the country. There have been many stories about her. Until I hear it from her lips that she made such a decision, I won't believe it.”

Since this happened, El Digital Sur claim that they have uncovered more information and can confirm that Isinbáyeva not only lives on the island but also owns properties and assets in the south of Tenerife by having access to records and documents that prove it.

They say that this data also verifies that Yelena Isinbáyeva arrived at the Tenerife South airport on 20^th November 2021 at 7:38am on Aeroflot flight number 2548 from Moscow. Although there are no records of her leaving the island from that date,  she was on a flight from Turkey to Madrid on May 30^th this year with Turkish Airlines, flight number 1357, and then took a connection back to the south airport in Tenerife.

These documents and records show that contrary to Svetlana Zhurova's belief, Isinbáyeva is not in Tenerife as a tourist, but as a legal resident. Through hard investigative work by El Digital Sur, it has been proven that the athlete not only lives in the south of the island but also owns properties, including a luxurious home in Palm Mar, a 200 m2 duplex on an exclusive residential complex.

Isinbáyeva is registered in the municipality of Arona, along with her husband Nikita Petinov, also a renowned athlete, and their children, who go to school in the south of Tenerife. In addition, they also have a vehicle registered in his name that further reinforces the evidence of their residence.

The couple also have other assets on the island and including a property in Callao Salvaje in the municipality of Adeje. This has been verified by the documents used to register it their name, again supporting their status as residents on the island.

At this point, the main question is why has a Major of the Russian Army and close friend of Vladimir Putin, has acquired properties in a NATO country such as Spain, and hidden her residence in Tenerife?