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Kremlin Video Shows Putin Meeting Former Teacher, Denies Bunker Rumors.

5/13/2026

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Summary

Story summary

The Kremlin released a video to deny claims that President Vladimir Putin was confined to underground bunkers.
In the video, Putin arrived in an SUV, greeted his former German-language teacher Vera Gurevich in a Moscow hotel lobby, and escorted her to Kremlin for dinner as a nostalgic gesture.
The video was released ahead of the May 9 Victory Day parade, when Putin said the war in Ukraine was nearing its end.

History

Historical Context

Joseph Stalin presided over the Soviet Union’s first Victory Day parade on 24 June 1945, deploying 40,000 troops and 1,850 vehicles to celebrate defeat of Nazi Germany. After only four Soviet shows, Russia began a 9 May parade in 1995, with the 2020 ceremony also moved to 24 June. In May 2024, Vladimir Putin’s greeting of teacher Vera Gurevich before Kremlin event echoed this tradition of pageantry to signal continuity.

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Story summary

The Kremlin released a video to deny claims that President Vladimir Putin was confined to underground bunkers.
In the video, Putin arrived in an SUV, greeted his former German-language teacher Vera Gurevich in a Moscow hotel lobby, and escorted her to Kremlin for dinner as a nostalgic gesture.
The video was released ahead of the May 9 Victory Day parade, when Putin said the war in Ukraine was nearing its end.

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