A new Sistema Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty project investigation alleges that Russian President Vladimir Putin operated from multiple duplicate offices built to look identical — allowing the Kremlin to conceal his true location during public appearances.
Three corresponding offices were identified
According to the report, Putin was filmed in at least three nearly identical offices located in:
Novo-Ogaryovo near Moscow
Sochi, on the coast of the Black Sea
Valdai, roughly 250 miles northwest of Moscow
All three rooms reportedly share the same beige interior, identical furniture and a Russian flag placed behind Putin’s desk.
More than 700 videos from the Kremlin were analyzed
According to the report, investigators analyzed more than 700 videos released by the Kremlin and found that several performances described as taking place in Novo-Ogaryovo were actually filmed in Valday. Researchers identified subtle but consistent details—such as thermostat designs, door handle placement, and wall patterns—that revealed actual filming locations.
State television published the confirmed findings
The report said leaked itineraries from Russian state television crews further supported these claims. The crew’s travel logs showed trips to Sochi and Valdai on days when Kremlin headlines said Putin was “close to Moscow”.
Timeline of construction of duplicate offices
The report describes how the replicas were created over several years:
2015 — Original Novo-Ogaryovo office documented
2018 — Valdai replica reportedly completed
2020 — Added Sochi replica
The identical sets, investigators say, allow the Kremlin to maintain the illusion of a single, consistent workspace for the president.
The illusion of stability
Sistema concludes that the duplicate offices provide the Kremlin with a tool to mask Putin’s location for security, secrecy, or political optics, creating the appearance of stability, whether he is in his official headquarters, a Black Sea retreat, or the remote Valdai compound.
