Putin's Valdai Residence Vanishes from Satellite Images

The Russian technology company Yandex has blurred satellite images of President Vladimir Putin's residence in its interactive mapping service, Yandex Maps. The residence is located in the Valdai Hills of Novgorod Oblast, near the villages of Dolgiye Borody and Roshchino. The blurred area spans about 3.3 square kilometers.

This move highlights Putin's ongoing concerns for his security, as he has recently reduced public appearances and often stays in bunkers built within his residences. The dictator appears to want to prevent his residence's location and details from being freely accessible to the public. While it is not unusual for governments or individuals to request blurring of sensitive locations, in this case it underscores the Russian leader's heightened desire for secrecy.