Kanal13

Putin is hiding beyond the Urals from Ukrainian retribution; the "elites" fled with him

Duration: 2:55 380 transcript words EN summary

Video summary

Russian President Vladimir Putin has recently abandoned his traditional summer routine and relocated his primary activities beyond the Urals to escape potential Ukrainian drone and missile strikes. Instead of spending August in Sochi or Moscow as he typically does, the Kremlin leader has shifted his presence to Siberia and the Far East, specifically citing Novosibirsk, a location over 3,000 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. This strategic move coincides with an intensification of attacks on Russian territory, prompting the state media to obscure the true nature of these events by labeling closed meetings in Moscow while the leadership is physically absent. The relocation has not been limited to Putin alone; high-ranking members of the Kremlin's elite have followed suit, establishing luxury residences in safer regions such as the Altai Mountains. Prominent figures including Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, Sberbank CEO German Gref, and Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller are reported to have moved to these distant locations alongside their leader. This mass exodus suggests a coordinated effort by Russia's top leadership to distance themselves from the front lines and secure themselves against aerial threats, effectively creating a new operational hub far removed from the immediate danger zones near Ukraine. Despite public declarations that Putin fears nothing, his actions reveal a starkly different reality driven by necessity rather than bravado. During his recent trip to Novosibirsk, it was discovered that he utilized a backup aircraft, specifically an IL-96 with tail number 96020, to conceal his actual location and movements. This plane, which has historically served as a distraction or for transporting propaganda agents, was flown by the dictator while his main aircraft, RA-96022, remained in the European part of Russia to deflect threats. The secret use of this secondary plane was inadvertently exposed when state-run TASS news agency propagandists leaked its registration number during their coverage of the tour. Ultimately, the situation highlights a significant shift in the Kremlin's security posture and operational strategy under increasing pressure from Ukrainian attacks. By fortifying unprecedented security measures and hiding his movements behind layers of secrecy, Putin is demonstrating that his previous assertions of fearlessness may have been rhetorical posturing rather than factual reality. The combination of fleeing to remote regions, utilizing backup transport for deception, and relocating the entire upper echelon of government indicates a leadership team prioritizing survival over visibility as the conflict escalates beyond their immediate control.

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Last week, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin publicly declared that he has never been afraid of anything. Tellingly, he said this in Novosibirsk, 3,000 km from the Ukrainian border. Moreover, the Kremlin leader has recently shifted all his activities beyond the Urals, out of reach of Ukrainian drones and missiles. The Russian independent publication We Can Explain drew attention to this. In previous years, Putin traditionally spent most of August in Sochi. However, this year, he broke with that tradition. The Russian dictator stopped visiting his residence as well as Moscow. The Kremlin is trying to hide this information. After the intensification of Ukrainian attacks, his public route has shifted increasingly to Siberia and the Far East. Although the Kremlin continues to broadcast closed meetings marked as Moscow. [music] The Kremlin's elite followed their leader beyond the Urals and set up luxury residences for themselves in locations beyond the reach of Ukrainian drones, the publication noted. Putin's press secretary Dmitry Peskov, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, Sberbank CEO German Gref, Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller, and others have moved to the Altai Mountains. According to the publication, Putin also further strengthened his already unprecedented security measures. Specifically, he began to more closely conceal his movements. Recall, during his visit to Novosibirsk, Vladimir Putin publicly declared that he never feared anything, but the facts tell a different story. It has emerged that the Russian dictator used his backup plane to conceal his location during this trip. The Kremlin leader's secret was inadvertently revealed by propagandists at the state-run TASS news agency. While covering his tour of Siberia and the Far East, they leaked the plane's registration number. It turned out to not be his main plane, but a backup one, which had been used as a distraction for the past few years. The aircraft in question is a long-haul IL-96 aircraft, tail number 96020. Putin flew on it in the first half of the 2010s. However, the aircraft was later used to transport Kremlin propaganda agents and to guard the Russian dictator. The head of the Kremlin often flies on three planes at once for secrecy purposes. It is noteworthy that during Putin's arrival in Novosibirsk, his main aircraft, number RA-96022, was cruising in the European part of the country, deflecting threats. >> [music]