Staged Events and Paid Actors Expose Putin’s Fear of Ordinary Russians

(KYIV) – Ukrainian drones have destroyed air defence systems around Russian dictator Vladimir Putin’s favoured residence in Gelendzhik, Krasnodar Krai, as Russian military bloggers report the Kremlin leader is travelling across Siberia in a state of panic.

Russian observers and popular military vloggers have described Putin’s extended tour of Siberia as an attempt to flee Moscow, where his bunkers are known to Ukrainian intelligence. The Russian dictator recently visited Novosibirsk in Siberia, a region previously considered safe from Ukrainian strikes.

Ukrainian drone operators have been systematically eliminating air defence batteries around Putin’s Gelendzhik compound, demonstrating that “nowhere in Russia is safe”, according to the reports. The strikes come alongside Ukraine’s ongoing campaign against Russian oil refineries, logistics hubs, and military arsenals, with operations expected to soon target ballistic missile production sites.

In Novosibirsk, residents received instructions on how to behave during Putin’s visit and were banned from leaving their homes without valid reason. Citizens reported that police officers were stationed every 50 metres along the route of the Russian dictator’s motorcade.

Russian bloggers noteD that the Siberian journey coincides with mounting domestic crises. Putin faces growing public anger over internet shutdowns, a deepening petrol shortage, and problems within the banking system. In Bashkortostan, deputies of the local parliament demanded a meeting with Putin, but he ignored their requests. Analysts say the questions would have exposed the weakness of the Kremlin dictator.

“This is the worst period in the career of the Kremlin dictator,” Russian vloggers have stated, citing his refusal to appear at the front lines or visit occupied Ukrainian territories to demonstrate solidarity with Russian soldiers. Instead, he has retreated deeper into the Russian interior.