In order to create an image of Russian President Vladimir Putin as a leader beloved by his people, pro-Russia social media users have been claiming that he travels without a security team, unlike other heads of state. To illustrate this claim, they shared a video of his latest trip to Siberia. The footage, however, shows him with a large security contingent.
Is the Russian president so confident in his people’s support that he travels without a security detail? On August 12, a pro-Russian social media user took to X to share a video of Putin meeting supporters in front of a petrol station. The post garnered tens of thousands of views on X and was also shared on Facebook.
