Sergei Bobyshev and his pet leopard Cleopatra...

Demolition started early on Thursday in the Rechnik settlement, a rare slice of country life within the confines of the Russian capital. The city says the people have built homes on the land illegally, but the residents argue they were granted the land during the Soviet era and the courts should recognize their right to live there.

"We will fight to the bitter end," Bobyshev told RIA Novosti.

He said that he might resort to the help of his "very affectionate pet cat" to keep construction workers and bailiffs away.

The demolition marked another small battle in a long-running war between the residents and the city authorities over the legality of the homes built on the land of a specially protected city park.

Environmental watchdog Rosprirodnadzor first stirred up the controversy in 2006 with an investigation into some 400 residences. Most of the buildings, which are situated on land belonging to a federal canal agency, have been legalized, but the owners

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