Russian leader visits Kazan as Moscow burns – but the enthusiastic reception may not be all that it seems
Credit: X/@agents_media
By Antonia Langford
Antonia Langford is a reporter based in Kyiv who covers Ukraine and Russia. She has also written for The Times, The Guardian and The i, among others. Antonia was shortlisted for Best Early Career Journalist in the Freelance Journalist Awards 2025.
Published 18 June 2026
When Vladimir Putin emerged from the Cathedral of the Annunciation in Kazan, a city in south-west Russia, he was greeted by well-wishers keen to shake his hand and tell him what a good job he was doing.
But the projection of popularity as the war on Ukraine rages on – broadcast on state television for all of Russia to see – may not be quite what it seems.
One of Putin’s bodyguards was heard giving instructions into his radio to his colleagues, referring to the crowd as “extras”.
Although background noise and heavy wind rendered much of the sentence inaudible, the man could be heard saying the word “massovka”, which refers to background actors hired to fill out a crowd on a film set.
Vladimir Putin meets supporters in Kazan, but a bodyguard’s overheard instructions suggests they are ‘actors’ Credit: Mikhail Metzel/AFP via Getty
The purported gaffe occurred during Putin’s visit to the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan, for a two-day meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
He was filmed approaching a number of people who greeted him with keen applause, though he remained encircled at all times by scores of suited bodyguards from the Federal Protective Service (FSO), the notorious security agency, and heavily armed soldiers in camouflage.
It marked the Russian president’s first “public” walkabout since July last year, according to Agenstvo, and his first visit to a Russian region outside Moscow or St Petersburg in seven months, according to Farida Rustamova, an independent journalist.
The visit took place as smoke billowed over Moscow following a major wave of drone strikes by Ukraine. Putin showed no sign he was aware of the attacks, one of which caused the huge circular lid of a fuel storage tank at an oil refinery to fly off in a cloud of black smoke.
Putin’s reluctance to take regional trips is believed to stem from heightened security concerns.
Enhanced measures have seen Putin’s staff banned from using mobile phones or travelling on public transport, while cooks, bodyguards and photographers have had surveillance systems installed in their homes.
Putin was also said to be spending weeks at a time hunkered down in bunkers amid fears caused by increasingly frequent and successful Ukrainian long-range drone strikes, as well as worries about a potential coup d’état or assassination attempt.
From January to March, he appeared in public 25 per cent less often than the same period the year before, and 50 per cent less than in 2024, Ms Rustamova found.
His appearance at May’s Victory Day parade in Moscow was reportedly only permissible after Ukraine agreed to not strike the procession.
Vladimir Putin gestures next to Philippines president Ferdinand Marcos Jr, left, and Singapore’s prime minister Lawrence Wong at the Russia-Asean summit in Kazan Credit: Alexander Nemenov/AFP via Getty
The reference to “extras” is the third PR setback the Russian president has suffered in a month.
In mid-May, the Kremlin released a bizarre clip showing Putin engaging in a supposedly unscripted chat with a random passer-by who was quickly identified as a former employee of the company managing the president’s lavish Sochi residences.
At the end of last month, the deputy prime minister referred to Putin as “Pal Laich”, in an apparent slip of the tongue. It is the supposed nickname for one of the president’s rumoured body doubles, Pavel Nikolaevich.
With attacks on Moscow increasing and the Russian assault on Ukraine stalling, Putin’s approval rating has fallen to its lowest level since he launched the invasion in 2022.
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Russia vows ‘massive’ retaliation for largest attack on Moscow since war began
Smoke billows over capital city after wave of drone strikes on major oil refinery
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Note : putler vowed “massive retaliation” in May too :
Putin vows retaliation after accusing Ukraine of hitting student dormitory
ByJaroslav Lukiv
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5y74lwx395o
Let’s keep an eye open for “Pal Laich.”
And all the other arseholes who are used as “crisis actors.”
Donald Lerma from Stand With Ukraine :-
I believe Trump is losing his ability to protect Putin. Obviously, Ukraine is not worried about Trump reaction any longer. Trump threw Bibi under the bus on Iran. There is no reason to think he won’t do the same with Putin. All Trump cares about is himself, it’s a weakness when apparent.
Trump appears to push back against Putin in latest Ukraine war comments : –
Read more: https://trib.al/z5XMFGs