Fact-check: Extensive security detail contradicts claims of Putin’s unprotected Siberia trip
France 24’s investigation reveals a multi-layered security operation, including a 23-vehicle convoy and air defence units, during the Russian president’s visit to Novosibirsk.
Pro-Russian social media accounts have circulated claims that Russian President Vladimir Putin travelled without a security team during his 11 August visit to Novosibirsk in Siberia. The narrative, which aimed to portray the leader as unafraid of his people, contrasted his perceived lack of protection with the extensive security afforded to French President Emmanuel Macron. However, a fact-check by France 24 has identified a robust, multi-layered security operation in the viral footage, challenging the image of a leader moving freely among the public.
The investigation analysed videos shared on X and Facebook, which showed Putin interacting with supporters near a petrol station. A security expert, who requested anonymity, described the arrangement as a “classic three-zone security plan.” Zone 1, dedicated to the President’s Security Service (SBP), was responsible for close protection. In the footage, at least 10 members of the presidential security team were visible in Putin’s immediate vicinity, including three men in military gear equipped with night-vision goggles and assault rifles.
The presidential convoy consisted of at least 23 vehicles, including an armoured Aurus Senat limousine. According to the manufacturer, the vehicle is equipped with BR5-level protection, equivalent to the European VPAM VR10 standard, which represents the highest level of ballistic protection for a vehicle. The convoy also included a van with roof domes, likely part of an anti-drone or satellite link system, as noted by political scientist Benjamin Gravisse, who identified the equipment in the footage.
Beyond the immediate perimeter, Zone 2 was managed by Russian military police, while Zone 3 was secured by local police. These units worked to secure the convoy’s route and manage traffic, including near the Siberian Circular Photon Source (SKIF) facility. Witnesses reported that spectators were directed to stand in a ditch alongside the road to make way for the president’s arrival, further indicating a controlled environment rather than an open public interaction.
Additional air defence measures were also evident during the visit. A video shared by the Russian-language media outlet Ateo Breaking showed a TIGR armoured 4x4 with a machine gun aimed at the sky, suggesting a position to counter potential aerial threats. France 24 geolocated this vehicle near the Novosibirsk hydroelectric dam, confirming it was part of the active security deployment on the day of the visit.
