Security is a normal part of life for world leaders.

But when a conflict drags on for years, basic safety protocols can spiral into elaborate games of hide and seek.

Paranoia eventually takes over completely.

A life in hiding
Russian President Vladimir Putin is going to extreme lengths to mask his travel plans. His security team has adopted wild new strategies as Ukrainian drones strike deeper into Russian territory.

A recent report from The New York Times cited by United24Media details how the Kremlin deploys decoy presidential motorcades. These massive convoys speed through Moscow streets entirely empty. The fake trips confuse anyone trying to track him.

The deception extends far beyond city traffic. To completely fake his whereabouts, Putin has built nearly identical offices at his different residences in the Moscow suburbs and the Black Sea resort of Sochi.

Investigative reporter Mikhail Rubin first uncovered the twin offices in 2020. Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty later found tiny differences in door handles and wall seams. These subtle details proved the broadcasts came from different places.

State television actively helps maintain the illusion. Russian journalists call these pre-recorded broadcasts canned goods. Government officials film meetings days or weeks before they actually air on television.

Exiled journalist Farida Rustamova has pointed out clumsy mistakes in this media strategy. She noticed officials discussing outdated events or showing up with different haircuts across various broadcasts.

Sometimes the background gives the trick away. Reporters tracking the supposedly live broadcasts have even studied the wilting and reversing decay of office plants to prove the timeline was faked.

Read More: Putin’s paranoia reaches new heights: “To the point of absurdity”