Even Vladimir Putin’s masterminds of trickery and deceit are bound to screw up now and then. And sometimes when they do, it’s good for a laugh . . . though probably not so much for them.

In this case, it has to do with Putin’s well-known paranoia, his constant moving from one location to another in order to disguise his actual whereabouts, and a potted plant.

The clever folks of Systema — the Russian investigative arm of Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) — have just outdone themselves in the “no detail too small” department.

As the U.S. and Israel embarked on their ill-conceived war against Iran, Putin apparently attempted to convince the world that he was at work in the Kremlin as usual, unfazed by distant affairs. To accomplish this, he had himself photographed at his desk, smiling and appearing completely at ease.

But it is well known that Putin has at least three such offices in different parts of the country — identical in the most minute detail, down to the desk pen and other trinkets.

And the Chinese evergreen plant in the corner, next to the flag.

The problem? The plant is real. And living plants grow, or lose leaves from time to time. And, according to Systema, this one — photographed on four separate occasions — would seem to have lost some large leaves and then miraculously regrown them and lost them again, all within the space of a few weeks. Unless they’re not the same plant. [Andrei Soshnikov, Svetlana Osipova, Anton Bayev and Systema, RFE/RL, March 4, 2026.]

So where was Putin on the day in question? We don’t know for sure. But for some reason, he felt it necessary to obscure his location, as he so often does. Maybe he was mourning the loss of his friend and ally, the Ayatollah. Or perhaps he was celebrating the sudden repositioning of his country as the world’s largest producer and exporter of available oil and gas, at least for as long as Iran is cut off by the U.S. and Israeli forces.

Not that it really matters where he was a couple of days ago. But it does point out the fallibility of even the most astute, careful planners . . . and the foolishness of underestimating the skills of the adversary.

Perhaps someone should send Putin three identical, artificial Chinese evergreens. He’ll just have to remind his people to dust them all on the same day, because Systema is watching.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
3/5/26