The Russian President expressed his wishes for a Happy New Year surrounded by soldiers, some of whom are still unclear.
At the dawn of 2022, a year “strong with truly pivotal and important events” that will “lay the groundwork for our true independence,” according to President Vladimir Putin, who took his vows against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine. The Kremlin chief spoke in a video in which he appears surrounded by soldiers dressed in uniforms and blue and white marines. But are these men and women really soldiers?
Several experts have expressed their doubts, including Belarusian journalist Tadeusz Giczan. He points to the presence of a soldier next to Vladimir Putin, who bears a disturbing resemblance to a devout Orthodox, or a sailor seen in other videos or official photos.
In these photos published in the past, this blonde woman appears with Vladimir Putin at a table or with Russian soldiers around a fire. A resemblance that also worried Clarissa Ward, CNN’s international correspondent. “Who is she? A bodyguard? An actor?” asks the American journalist.
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While some envision the intervention of additional actors, others believe these men and women are more likely to be part of the Russian president’s close guard. Among the numerous identity suggestions for the blonde woman, one name quickly emerges: that of Serguhina Larisa Borisovna, a 57-year-old MP from the city of Novgorod, a member of United Russia, Vladimir Putin’s party. It is actually found in an official report of the Russian Federation Council on Agricultural and Food Policy and Environmental Management. However, there is no confirmation from the Kremlin.
Serguhina Larissa Borisovna Committee of the Federation Council for Agricultural and Food Policy and Environmental Management.