Investigation: Putin Filmed in Three Nearly Identical Offices — Is the Kremlin Masking His Whereabouts?

Investigation finds duplicate presidential offices at Novo-Ogaryovo, Valdai and Sochi

A Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) Sistema project investigation concludes that President Vladimir Putin has been filmed working in at least three nearly identical offices — one at his official residence Novo-Ogaryovo outside Moscow, another at the Valdai complex and a third at his Sochi residence, Bocharov Ruchey. The report says the duplication of rooms allows the Kremlin to obscure the president’s true location.

Researchers reviewed more than 700 Kremlin videos and used subtle physical details — thermostat shapes, the placement of door handles and decorative lines on walls — to determine where footage was actually shot. The team found that many clips labeled as having been filmed at Novo-Ogaryovo were in fact recorded at Valdai, a lakeside complex about 250 miles northwest of Moscow. Leaked itineraries for state television crews further corroborated travel to Valdai and Sochi on dates when captions claimed footage was taken "near Moscow."

"The pattern of secret locations and tight information control most closely resembles Saddam Hussein’s," independent sociologist Konstantin Gaaze told RFE/RL, referring to the deliberate construction of duplicate rooms and hidden residences.

Analysts point out that Valdai’s dense forest and relative isolation make it easier to defend with systems such as Pantsir-M air-defense units than to protect the Kremlin or Moscow suburbs. Satellite imagery and reporting by outlets including Dagens and Charter97 indicate that, since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Putin has been seen far less often at Novo-Ogaryovo and appears to spend more time at Valdai.

Novo-Ogaryovo, built in the 1950s, became Putin’s principal workplace in the early 2000s. Satellite photos show a compound ringed by high walls, helipads and underground shelters. Bocharov Ruchey in Sochi — historically a favored coastal residence — has been used less frequently since Ukrainian long-range drones began striking parts of Russia; analysts say its distance and cover make Valdai a safer command center.

The Sistema report says the three matching offices were constructed in stages: the Novo-Ogaryovo room around 2015, a Valdai copy by 2018 and a Sochi version by 2020. Each space shares a beige palette, similar furniture and the Russian flag positioned behind the president’s desk — visual cues that help Kremlin media preserve the appearance of a single, stable seat of power.

"He thinks NATO or the Ukrainians could strike him," opposition politician Maxim Katz told Fox News Digital, arguing that a former security officer would naturally favour duplicate rooms. Katz added that the implementation is imperfect — small differences between the locations remain visible.

Katz also cited examples from the COVID-19 era to illustrate Putin’s caution: ministers and visiting officials were often asked to isolate before meetings, and publicised encounters with foreign leaders sometimes emphasized physical distance. "He avoids unnecessary risks," Katz said.

Implications: If the investigation’s findings are correct, the use of matching offices raises questions about transparency, media presentation and how state footage is captioned. It also illustrates how design and logistics are being used as part of modern presidential security and image management.