Putin’s unprecedented security: for the first time, fighter jets escort presidential aircraft on domestic trip
For the first time, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin’s aircraft was escorted by fighter jets on domestic trips. Today, on July 18, Putin flew to Yakutia, marking his first visit there in the past decade. During his domestic trip, the aircraft was accompanied by combat jets, reports the Russian opposition news outlet Agentsvo.
Residents of Yakutia captured the flight of the presidential aircraft on video. According to these recordings, the plane carrying Putin was escorted by at least one Russian Air Force Su-30SM fighter jet. While it is commonplace for fighter escorts on international trips, this level of security within Russian airspace is unprecedented for recent years. This marks the first recorded instance of such a measure. The incident suggests that the Russian president is extremely fearful for his life and does not trust his own air defense system. Notably, Yakutia is located about 5,000 km from the Ukrainian borders. Ukrainian forces do not possess weaponry capable of striking Russian aircraft at such distances, yet the dictator remains wary of an attack.
Following his visit to Yakutsk, the Russian president is scheduled to travel to North Korea for a working visit. It is likely that Putin will request additional ammunition supplies from his North Korean counterpart Kim Jong-un for the ongoing war in Ukraine.