Exclusive: Kremlin Office Plants Prove Putin's Absence As Iran War Heats Up
📖 Full Retelling
On March 2-3, the Kremlin published videos showing him meeting with officials and indicated the footage was fresh. In fact, both meetings were recorded earlier, Systema, RFE/RL’s Russian investigative unit, has determined – the latest example of what has become a common practice for Putin’s office.
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Russia Exclusive: Kremlin Office Plants Prove Putin's Absence As Iran War Heats Up By Andrei Soshnikov , Svetlana Osipova , Anton Bayev and Systema March 04, 2026 16:57 CET Exclusive: Kremlin Office Plants Prove Putin's Absence As Iran War Heats Up Share Share Print The Kremlin footage seemed calculated to suggest that while the United States and Israel were bombarding longtime Russian partner country Iran, it was business as usual for President Vladimir Putin. On March 2-3, Putin's administration published videos showing him meeting with officials far removed from international affairs: the governor of the Amur region , in Russia's Far East, and the head of the federal treasury . As usual, state TV channels dutifully ran reports and showed footage from the meetings, in each case telling viewers that the meeting took place "today." In fact, though, both meetings were recorded at some earlier date, Systema, RFE/RL's Russian investigative unit , has found. The giveaway? The plants in Putin's office in the Kremlin. Last month, Systema determined that meetings the Kremlin and state TV indicated occurred in his office from February 9-17 had actually been recorded earlier. The main piece of evidence was an aglaonema plant, also known as a Chinese evergreen, seen behind Putin in official footage and images. Over the autumn and into early February, the plant grew thicker and some of its leaves yellowed noticeably -- but in footage presented as fresh beginning February 9, the growth and decay appeared to have reversed themselves, with the yellowed leaves green once again. After Systema published a report on the developments, which suggested Putin had not appeared on camera for 11 days, the Kremlin replaced the plant, as well as one in the other corner behind Putin's desk. In footage published on February 25 of a meeting with conductor and Bolshoi Theater Director Valery Gergiyev that the Kremlin said took place the previous evening, entirely different aglaonemas can be seen....
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