Vladimir Putin is reportedly managing Russia from a network of secretive locations. An investigation conducted by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s Sistema project suggests that the Russian president uses at least three nearly identical offices to keep his true whereabouts under wraps. These offices are located at Novo-Ogaryovo near Moscow, in Sochi, and in Valdai, creating an illusion of his presence while masking his actual location.

Researchers analyzed more than 700 Kremlin videos and found that many appearances described as being at Novo-Ogaryovo were actually recorded at the Valdai residence, roughly 250 miles northwest of Moscow. They identified telltale clues such as thermostat shapes, door-handle placement and decorative lines on the wall. Leaked itineraries of state TV crews confirmed travel to Sochi and Valdai on dates when official captions said “near Moscow.” 

According to the investigation by Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty’s Sistema project, Putin’s strategy involves utilizing these three duplicate offices to obscure his real location, thus misleading the public about where he is truly governing from.

Konstantin Gaaze, an independent sociologist, told RFE/RL that Putin’s current approach of using secret locations and tight information control echoes Saddam Hussein’s tactics. Gaaze pointed out the construction of numerous identical rooms and concealed residences. Analysts have observed that Valdai’s thick forests and remote setting make it easier to safeguard with advanced air-defense systems like the Pantsir-M, compared to the Kremlin or the Moscow suburbs.

These replica offices, as revealed by the investigation from Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, allow Russian President Vladimir Putin to mask his actual location. Although he frequently appears to be in Moscow, he could be operating from Sochi by the Black Sea or his secluded forest estate in Valdai.

The official presidential estate, Novo-Ogaryovo, constructed in the 1950s, became Putin’s primary workplace in the early 2000s. Satellite images depict it surrounded by high walls, helipads, and underground shelters. However, since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, his presence there has diminished. Investigations and satellite data examined by Dagens and Charter97 suggest that Putin predominantly resides at Valdai, a heavily fortified lakeside retreat nestled in the forests between Moscow and St. Petersburg.

Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, center, meets with his top leaders in an undisclosed location. (AP)

His coastal residence, Bocharov Ruchey, in Sochi — once a preferred retreat — has been used less often since Ukrainian long-range drones reached Russia. Analysts say Valdai’s distance and cover make it a safer command center. 

The Sistema report claimed that the three matching offices were built gradually: Novo-Ogaryovo’s original in about 2015, Valdai’s copy by 2018, and Sochi’s by 2020. Each features the same beige palette, identical furniture and the Russian flag behind Putin’s desk. The duplication lets Kremlin media maintain the illusion of a single, stable seat of power.

Air defense systems around Vladimir Putin’s secluded forest residence in Valdai, north of Moscow. (East to West)

Russian opposition politician Maxim Katz told Fox News Digital that the findings reflect an obsession with personal safety, “He thinks NATO or the Ukrainians could strike him. For someone with a KGB background, it makes sense to have multiple identical rooms. They just didn’t execute it perfectly — you can see the differences.”

Katz said the same mentality governed Putin’s conduct during the pandemic.

Russian President Vladimir Putin reportedly uses replica offices — shown — to disguise his location, according to a Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty investigation that found he often pretends to be in Moscow while actually staying in Sochi by the Black Sea or at his secluded forest residence in Valdai. (East to West)

“It’s well known that he’s obsessive about his security and health — it was most obvious during COVID. Even ministers and prime ministers had to isolate himself for a week or two before meeting him. That long table with French President Emmanuel Macron shows it perfectly — Macron refused a test, and Putin agreed to meet only at a very long table because he was afraid of infection.”

He added that Putin “never comes close to the front, or anywhere Ukrainians might reach. He takes his safety seriously and avoids unnecessary risks.”