After 31-year-old Mikhail Korotkov began photographing the Russian president’s armored train, strange comments began to appear on his YouTube channel. They contained transcripts of his private telephone conversations.
For several years, the Russian tracked down the armored train of Russian President Vladimir Putin and photographed it with his camera. At one point, the Russian special services made him understand that it was not worth doing this, writes The Washington Post portal.
31-year-old Mikhail Korotkov spent several years tracking down the very secret armored train that the head of state uses as the main source of movement around the regions of the Russian Federation.
The Russian recalls that there were absolutely no identification numbers on the train, and the windows were constantly closed during movement. Of the obvious external differences, there is still a dome at the top of one of the cars, which, apparently, is necessary for communication.
The Russian regularly took pictures of various trains
Photo: The Washington Post
“He rushes like crazy, and all other scheduled trains give way to him,” the Russian commented, adding that since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the number of cars has increased dramatically.
Threats from the FSB and forced emigration: what is known about the hobby of Mikhail Korotkov
Mikhail Korotkov notes that the search for the train and the process of photographing was terrifying and exciting for him. He devoted a lot of time to his hobby, tried to take rare photographs and did not think about the consequences at all. Many dissuaded him from such dangerous activities, but the man was determined. As soon as he had information that the train had left Moscow, he immediately rushed to the rails with a camera.
Later, the “hunt” of the Russian special services began for the photographer. In May 2021, unusual comments began to appear on his YouTube channel with verbatim transcripts of private telephone conversations.
“I told my parents that my life was in danger,” the man recalls, and after that he decided to suspend his activities.
After the beginning of partial mobilization, Mikhail Korotkov realized that it was time to leave the Russian Federation and start life from scratch. He received two summonses, but by that time he was already in Kazakhstan, from where he flew to Sri Lanka.
Vladimir Putin’s secret armored train: what is known about it
According to Russian media, the Russian president switched to this mode of transport for good in the spring of 2021. From the moment the Russian Armed Forces began to prepare for a full-scale war with Ukraine. The train was chosen for a reason, but for security reasons – it is much more difficult to track than an airplane.
The armored vehicle was prepared back in 2014, and since then the head of the Kremlin has used its services from time to time. The full-scale war forced him to do so more often, since two of the president’s favorite residences are located on the Black Sea coast, and due to active hostilities, flights are prohibited there.
Inside the train there is a separate car with a bedroom, a study, a car for staff, special communications – all conveniences in one place. At the same time, outwardly, it practically does not differ in any way from those cars that daily carry out passenger transportation of Russians. The cost of such transport is more than a billion rubles.
What is known about Putin’s secret armored train
Photo: Railgallery
Recall, on February 18, the media wrote that Putin’s armored train caused traffic jams on the railway during a trip to Valdai.
