Putin Now has a Reason Much Closer to Home for Not Flying, Gallyamov Says

Paul Goble

            Staunton, Mar. 4 – When it was reported in early February that Vladimir Putin has stopped flying and started traveling about the Russian Federation by armored train since the start of his expanded war in Ukraine a year ago, analysts suggested that he was afraid of a Ukrainian attack on his person (windowoneurasia2.blogspot.com/2023/02/given-war-in-ukraine-putin-now-moves.html).

            But now it turns out that he may have reasons to fear that are far closer to home. Abbas Gallyamov, a former Putin speech writer and increasingly critical commentator, says that a proposal by a senior Duma deputy that Russian businesses create their own anti-aircraft forces could pose a more immediate threat (t.me/abbasgallyamovpolitics/2051).

            The commentator reports that “the head of the Duma defense committee, Andrey Kartapolov, has proposed that Russian corporations on their own purchase anti-aircraft systems for the defense of their facilities against attacks by Ukraine,” given that the defense ministry doesn’t have the money to develop a comprehensive system.

            “Now it is becoming clear why Putin has shifted to an armed train,” Gallyamov says. “How could he fly across a country where each corporation has its own private anti-aircraft defense system? Who could give a guarantee that they won’t make a mistake and shoot you down?”

            He continues: “I would recommend that the citizens follow the president’s example: Flying will quickly become completely insecure” if the Duma deputy’s idea is put into practice.