As one of the most heavily protected leaders in the world, Vladimir Putin’s security detail is expected to operate at maximum capacity as the Russian president prepares to step outside his country for a rare international meeting. The high-stakes encounter will take place in Alaska on Friday, where he is scheduled to meet Donald Trump for one-on-one talks expected to focus heavily on the war in Ukraine.
The Kremlin has confirmed that the meeting will be held at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, beginning at 11:30 a.m. local time (8:30 p.m. UK time). The event marks a significant departure for Putin, who has limited his foreign travel since launching the invasion of Ukraine in 2023. Sources suggest he will be surrounded by layers of visible and covert protection, with both Russian and U.S. security services coordinating to ensure the safety of both leaders, according to The Sun.
Putin, a former KGB officer who has ruled Russia for 25 years, is known for his intense focus on personal security. A Russian official told The Moscow Times that “the Kremlin takes Vladimir Putin’s security very seriously,” describing his protective team as an “army of visible and invisible guards.” Many of these agents are part of an elite unit within Russia’s Federal Protective Service (FSO) and are known internally as the “Musketeers,” per The Economist.
Members of this unit carry specialized suitcases, some of which can unfold into bulletproof shields in the event of gunfire. One case, reportedly dubbed the “poo suitcase,” is used to discreetly collect Putin’s bodily waste during trips abroad, a measure designed to prevent foreign intelligence agencies from gaining insight into his health. This practice was first reported in 2017 by Paris Match and has been linked to long-standing speculation about the president’s physical condition.
In addition to standard protective gear, Putin is rarely far from the Russian nuclear command briefcase, known as the “Cheget.” Developed during the Soviet era, this device functions as a secure communication system for authorizing a nuclear strike, per Reuters. While early versions reportedly contained explosives, the modern version allows direct transmission of launch orders to military command.
Putin’s security team is handpicked for exceptional physical endurance, psychological resilience, and the ability to operate in extreme conditions. They are armed with SR-1 Vektor pistols capable of firing armor-piercing rounds, and their preparations begin months before any trip. These include site reconnaissance, electronic surveillance sweeps, and the installation of signal jammers to prevent remote detonation of explosives.
During travel, Putin moves in an armored convoy, often accompanied by personnel carrying AK-47 rifles, anti-tank weapons, and portable anti-aircraft systems. For Friday’s summit, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson will be placed under an extensive security lockdown. The installation hosts members of every branch of the U.S. armed forces and is considered one of the few sites in Alaska capable of meeting the stringent requirements for such a meeting.
Both leaders will arrive on their respective presidential aircraft (Putin after a nine-hour flight from Moscow, and Trump after a seven-and-a-half-hour journey from Washington) underscoring the unprecedented nature of this tense and closely watched meeting.