Has Vladimir Putin Fled Moscow To Bunker? Here's What Kremlin Says

Vladimir Putin's presidential plane was reportedly seen departing from Moscow on Saturday as rebel mercenaries, led by Wagner group chief Yevgeny Prigozhin, advanced towards the capital city.

The BBC reported that the president's special aircraft, Il-96-300PU, allegedly departed at 2:16 PM Moscow time (12:16 PM BST) from Moscow Vnukovo Airport and proceeded in a north-west direction. FlightRadar tracking data showed that the plane reached the Tver region, approximately 180 km from Moscow, where Putin possesses a residence, before vanishing from the system.

While the presence of Putin on the aircraft was unverified, his spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told the TASS news agency that the president is currently "working in the Kremlin."

Videos circulated on social media showed the Wagner mercenary convoy traveling along the M4 motorway, leading to the Russian military to ramp up security measures. These measures included digging of trenches on the outskirts of Moscow and destruction of roads in Lipetsk.

Lipetsk's governor, Igor Artamonov, urged residents to remain at home and avoid unnecessary travel. He assured the public that "the situation was under control."

Moscow's Mayor, Sergei Sobyanin, appealed to the city's residents to refrain from using their vehicles due to the ongoing counter-terrorism operation in Moscow and the surrounding region. In light of this, Monday was declared a non-working day for most individuals, with exceptions made for public servants and employees of specific industrial enterprises.