“The Project” analyzed when Putin distanced himself and when he did not

“Proekt” publication analyzed the activities of Russian President Vladimir Putin over the last hour. The “Project” tried to understand why in some cases Putin is at a great distance from his interlocutors during public events, but this distance is not there during other events.

According to journalists, from November 1, 2022 to October 31, 2023, Putin participated in 521 official events. At 43% of meetings (224 out of the total number), as stated in the article, it is clearly visible that the president in one way or another keeps his distance from his interlocutors (or speaks via video link, or is at least a few meters away from the audience). In 185 cases (36% of the total number), Putin did not distance himself from the participants of the events, however, according to “Proekt”, they were in quarantine before the meeting with the president – either in Sochi in the “Rus” and “Dagomys” sanatoriums, or in a complex of government cottages on Kosygina Street in Moscow. This fall, the quarantine period before the meeting with the president was reduced to five days, Faridaily reported. People who constantly accompany the head of state spend time in the so-called “clean zone”, that is, a boarding house where only people who have passed quarantine live and work.

In 21% of cases, or in 112 episodes, however, Putin, according to the Project’s calculations, had close contact with people who were not in quarantine. We are talking about foreign visits, meetings with foreign leaders, as well as cases of Putin’s “spontaneous” communication with people on the streets after some events, which became more frequent after the request of the PMC “Wagner” mutiny.

In general, the “Project” did not manage to deduce the regularity: “perhaps there is no paradox, and Putin appears in public only when he wants to.” At the same time, the publication mentions rumors about the existence of Putin’s doubles, but, judging by the publication, evaluates them skeptically. At the same time, as the “Project” writes, even some journalists of the Kremlin pool admit the existence of doppelgangers, although others deny it.

The material also notes that the number of public events with Putin’s participation is generally small, and it happens that the president does not appear in public for several days in a row.

Among other things, the material also names the personalities of the security service officers who constantly accompany the president. Among them, it is claimed, are sailors, captains of the first rank Dmitry Shumeiko and Vladimir Poleshchuk, who, at least until 2020, carried the so-called nuclear suitcase for Putin. According to the “Project”, colleagues write them down in phone books as “Smoke-button” and “Button”. The names of several more of Putin’s bodyguards and doctors accompanying him on his trips are also named.

The day before, the Federation Council scheduled presidential elections in Russia for March 17, 2024. According to the adopted amendments to the Constitution, 71-year-old Putin can run for a fifth term, many sources in the Kremlin claimed that he will run for election. Officially, Putin has not yet announced his plans.