A paranoid Vladimir Putin took elaborate measures to avoid being shot down by the Ukrainian military today as he flew to Minsk, it was claimed.
It is believed the Kremlin leader flew in from St Petersburg - rather than Moscow - to avoid passing close to the frontier of Ukraine.
He was reported to have received a fighter esport as he approached Minsk.
At the same time, two other Ilyushins took off to “confuse the enemy”, said Belarus opposition channel motolkohelp.
Putin is believed to have flown to Minsk - for his first visit in three years to “close ally” Alexander Lukashenko - on a 'Flying Kremlin' jet, a special Il-96-300PU.
“According to our information, Vladimir Putin flew to Minsk on this plane,” said the Telegram channel.
“For conspiracy purposes, three government planes he uses were put in the air at the same time - RA-96022, RA-96014 and RA-96020.”
Belarus dictator Lukashenko met Putin at the airport.
The Russian leader - rumoured to have health problems - gave a little jump as he came down the stairways from his plane where he was greeted with bread and flowers by two women before meeting Lukashenko.
By approaching from the north Putin flew closer to NATO states Latvia and Lithuania - but was clear of Ukraine.
Putin’s flight number is believed to have been RA-96022.
Yet one more Il-96-300 also flew from St Petersburg to Minsk, while another left from Vnukovo airport in Moscow, from where Putin would normally flew when in the capital.
A fighter was reported to have taken off from airbase Baranovichi in western Belarus.
An Mi-8 helicopter of the Belarusian Air Force also took off from the airfield in Machulishchi.
Reports say Putin is paranoid about being attacked by the Ukrainians.
This is why he has not ventured to the frontline to support his troops during the ten months of the war - unlike his opposite number Volodymyr Zelensky.
Putin is accompanied in Minsk by his defence minister Sergei Shoigu and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, both staunch allies.
