Putin now avoids trips to Russian regions hit by Ukrainian drones
REUTERS/Ramil Sitdikov
Russian dictator Vladimir
Putin is now avoiding trips to regions of Russia that have been reached by
Ukrainian drones, choosing instead destinations in Siberia and the Far East, independent
Russian outlet Agentstvo.Novosti reported on Aug. 7.
Siberian local outlet Sib.fm, citing unidentified sources, reported that Putin may visit Novosibirsk next week. The trip would be the fifth region he has visited since resuming regional travel. Only one of the regions he visited during that period is in European Russia. Exact dates for a possible Novosibirsk visit have not been released.
During the visit, Putin may take part in the opening of the Siberian Ring Photon Source and meet with Gov. Andrey Travnikov. A visit to the new campus of Novosibirsk State University is also among the possible program items, Sib.fm reported.
Agentstvo.Novosti said Putin resumed regional travel in June after a long break and has largely chosen regions outside the European part of Russia, where the risk of drone attacks is much lower. Exceptions have included Moscow, St. Petersburg, Valdai (sites of his residences), and Kazan, which he visited June 17 during the Russia–ASEAN summit.
On Aug. 6 Telegram channel Astra reported that,
because of the Ukrainian drone threat, Russians have increasingly chosen train
travel between Moscow and St. Petersburg over flights. Passenger traffic on
that route fell 18 percent in the first half of 2026, to 1.6 million people;
passenger traffic across Russia declined by 3.2 percent over the same period,
Astra said.
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