Rumors swirl that Napoleon’s troops stashed away 80 tons of gold salvaged from Moscow deep within the depths of Lake Bolshaya Rutavech. According to folklore, the French Emperor orchestrated the secretive burial of the stolen treasure as his army made a hasty retreat from Russia in 1812. But the burning question remains: where exactly could this hidden fortune lie today?
Russian historian Vyacheslav Ryzhkov claims that the story about a massive treasure hidden in Lake Semlevo in Smolensk was actually a clever tactic used to divert the attention of the army led by the ex-Russian Emperor Alexander I.
Instead, he thinks that the treasure could be hidden approximately 40 miles away from Lake Bolshaya Rutavech, close to where the historian grew up in Rudnya.
In an interview with Rabochy Put, Mr. Ryzhkov expressed his belief that rumors circulating among Emperor Napoleon’s associates were meant to conceal the actual whereabouts of the treasure located near the Belarusian border. According to the historian, Napoleon did not simply toss the gold into a barrel and throw it into the lake – instead, he specifically instructed for it to be buried at the bottom of the lower lake.
According to Mr. Ryzhkov, Emperor Napoleon supposedly had the treasure melted down into gold bars and transported with a large escort to Lake Bolshaya Rutavech. Historian Ryzhkov also suggested that a Napoleon look-alike was involved in burying fake gold while the real Emperor Napoleon was in Smolensk issuing orders and waiting for his army to withdraw. The mystery of whether historical treasures will be found at Lake Bolshaya Rutavech remains unsolved for now, but only time will tell.
According to Mr. Rizhkov, utilizing cutting-edge technology and expert knowledge will lead to the discovery of the hidden treasure. Furthermore, he pointed out that back in the 1980s, a chemical examination of the lake’s water revealed significant levels of silver ions.
