Not your regular prince galloping on a white horse, the dark prince of Ukrainian politics, Mr. Viktor Medvedchuk, prefers the glory of a gilded train. Perhaps due to his love for trains and the impossibility of traveling by public transport, given his worth of $620 million in 2021, according to Forbes Ukraine, his wife, Oksana Marchenko, a Ukrainian TV star and socialite, gifted him a railway platform.
It came complete with a blue-hued Pullman train featuring gold letters emblazoned on the exterior, a dining car, and every element that made it look museum-like. This significant addition became part of Medvedchuk’s magnificent palace in Pushcha-Vodytsya on August 7, 2021, making swimming pools, lakes, and tennis courts seem like plebeian choices.
The breathtaking gold train was sheathed under a green camouflage net which, upon intrusion by Slidstvo.Info’s activist Petro, revealed details like the name of the station, Dalnyaya, a platform with rails, benches, a clock, and decorative lights.
A replica of the elite Pullman car, this luxurious version was crafted by hundreds of Ukrainian craftsmen. The interiors would impress even the most deep-pocketed billionaires of the world; after all, Medvedchuk is no ordinary man and wouldn’t settle for anything less than gobsmacking.
His wife indeed selected a truly one-of-a-kind gift for her husband, who lost 30 plots of land, 23 houses, 32 apartments, 26 cars, and one yacht, The Royal Romance, to Ukrainian authorities in 2022, per The Washington Post.
The train is a masterpiece packed with luxurious materials like gold, velvet, and objets d’art, such as a $2,500 lamp by Laudarte, a $5,500 custom coffee machine by the Italian brand Elektra laden in beautiful gold and copper, plush carpets, and the finest wooden details. The main hall can seat 40 people and includes a kitchen, a VIP compartment, and a toilet.
At the end of the car is an opulent bar featuring the most exquisite glasses with gilded coats of arms of the Russian Federation, known to cost over $150 each.
The extravagance extends to the toilet, where even the water drain buttons and bidet hose are gilded. To savor meals in true kingly fashion, the family has stocked cutlery from the luxury French brand Cristofle Paris. A fancy chest of drawers conceals silver forks, spoons, and knives for its users.
According to Slidstvo.Info, everything in this Pullman replica was handmade and took over a year to make. How much this jaw-dropping wagon cost the affluent and adoring wife is unknown, but it only takes a glimpse to assume it wasn’t cheap.
Mogul Viktor Medvedchuk also owns an incredible superyacht called Royal Romance, which is just as opulent and as inactive as this idle train. The 303-foot-long vessel was raided by the FBI and meant to be auctioned for the benefit of Ukraine. At the last hour, the sale of this $200 million floating palace was halted, and it may land back in the lap of its luxury-loving owner.
