Russian President Vladimir Putin has an escape plan in place in the event Russia loses the war it started in Ukraine in February, a former speechwriter for the Kremlin chief said on Wednesday.
Abbas Gallyamov, who is also a political analyst, said a trusted source told him that the Kremlin has, since the spring, been developing a backup plan for a potential defeat in Ukraine, which involves Putin and his top leadership fleeing to Venezuela.
"I usually don't retell insider stories, but today I will make an exception. Firstly, I trust the source too much, and secondly, the information is very juicy," Gallyamov wrote on his Telegram channel.
According to Gallyamov, the project has been unofficially named "Noah's Ark." Argentina and Venezuela are allegedly among the top options for Putin to flee to, but China was considered in the early stages of talks.
"As the name [Noah's Ark] implies, it is about finding new lands where you can go in case it becomes completely uncomfortable in your homeland," wrote Gallyamov. "The leader's entourage does not exclude that he will lose the war, lose power and he will have to urgently evacuate somewhere."
Gallyamov, who has been living in exile in Israel since 2018, said his source told him a "man on the ground" is making all the arrangements for a potential evacuation to Venezuela.
"Unfortunately, my source does not know any other details, however, what has been said is enough to understand: when they [Russia] say that 'everything is going according to plan,' it makes sense to clarify which one. They seem to have more than one plan," Gallyamov concluded.
Newsweek reached out to Russia's Foreign Ministry for comment.
READ MORE
- Putin admits war may take long time as mainland Russia battered with drones
- Russia expands defenses along Ukraine border amid apparent invasion fears
- Russia-installed leader survives assassination attempt
Updated 1/5, 6:00 p.m.: This story has been edited to remove reporting based on misinterpreted material.
Do you have a tip on a world news story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about the Russia-Ukraine war? Let us know via worldnews@newsweek.com.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Isabel van Brugen is a Newsweek Reporter based in Kuala Lumpur. Her focus is reporting on the Russia-Ukraine war. Isabel ... Read more
