Through three identical offices, in different parts of , it seems that the Russian president works, due to great fear for his personal safety and wishing to conceal his true location, especially since the start of the invasion of Ukraine, in cooperation with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Current Time.
According to the report, Putin’s offices – nicknamed the “beige rooms” because of their identical minimalist interiors – have been built in Novo-Ogaryovo near Moscow, Sochi and the heavily guarded Valdai residence.
The common decoration
All three rooms reproduce the same layout, furniture, wall coverings and even small decorative details such as door handles and folders. Despite official Kremlin statements often attributing meetings to Novo-Ogaryovo, Sistema found that many were recorded elsewhere, especially in Valdai.
Investigators analyzed years of Kremlin media footage, procurement documents and leaked travel data to pinpoint where Putin was actually located.
A key method involved spotting small differences between replica desks – such as the height of door handles or the placement of shelves on the walls. Using this method, Sistema concluded that 29 of Putin’s 30 public appearances from January to September 2025 were filmed at the Valdai replica, not in Moscow.
Valdai is reportedly surrounded by 14 air defense emplacements, including 13 Pantsir missile systems, making it one of the most fortified points in Russia. Political analyst Konstantin Gaaze noted that Putin moved his operations there because it is easier to hide security infrastructure deep in the forest than in urban areas like Moscow.
The strategic use of identical offices
The use of such identical offices intensified after 2014 and accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic. At the time, the Kremlin claimed that Putin remained isolated in Novo-Ogaryovo, while evidence suggests he resided mainly in Sochi or Valdai.
Strict quarantine measures for anyone meeting the president also reinforced the preference for remote, controlled environments.
In late 2025, Putin made rare returns to Sochi and Novo-Ogaryovo. He appeared in official footage from those locations in September and October, including a BRICS summit and a Security Council meeting. However, according to Sistema, Valdai remains its most frequently used location and continues to serve as the core of presidential activity.
The investigation concludes that the Kremlin’s use of cloned offices and false location reporting has become an institutionalized practice. This system, Sistema argues, now shapes state logistics and protocol around maintaining the Russian leader’s personal security and psychological comfort.
Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that Vladimir Putin may launch an attack on NATO even before the war in Ukraine ends. Citing a strategic impasse, Zelensky said Russia’s failures could lead it to open a new front in Europe, describing recent drone and jet incursions into NATO airspace as part of a wider “hybrid war” to test the alliance’s resolve.
