Meetings that Russian President Vladimir Putin has with his officials are officially publicized long after they have actually taken place, it has been reported.
Sometimes there are weeks between the Putin's meetings before they are revealed by the Kremlin, according to the Telegram channel of independent journalist Farida Rustamova, Faridaily. The claim was also reported by another independent Russian-language news source, The Insider.
Newsweek has contacted the Kremlin about the claims, which include how the last announced public appearance by Putin was at the Valdai Discussion Club in St. Petersburg on November 7.
Faridaily said it was "no secret" that Kremlin reports on Putin's meetings with governors, officials, heads of state-owned companies, and politicians after they take place—in what is dubbed "canned food"—are aimed at "creating the illusion the president is working non-stop."
Lately instances of "canned food" have increased in number and "the Kremlin seems to have stopped monitoring their expiry date," said Faridaily.
One example was when the Kremlin noted on its website on Tuesday that Putin had met with the head of the New People party, Alexey Nechayev, when the president said he backed the first reading of the federal budget. But this reading took place on October 24 and the State Duma approved it following its second reading on November 14.
That same day, the Kremlin reported a meeting that Putin had with the head of the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia, Leonid Slutsky. It noted how the deputy had spoken about the results of the elections, which had taken place two months earlier in September.
Faridaily said that 11.46 a.m. on November 14, Slutsky, an outspoken critic of the West, addressed reporters in the parliamentary building, while less than three hours later, a transcript of his meeting with Putin was on the Kremlin website.
Rustamova's account also said that since the COVID pandemic, Putin reportedly only allows visits with those who have been quarantined for five days, which casts doubt on whether officials can meet the Russian president on the same day as visiting other places.
The post also notes "inconsistencies" in the timing of a meeting with United Russia member Vladimir Vasilyev which was reported by the Kremlin at 3 p.m. on November 12 only two hours after he spoke at a parliamentary plenary session.
"Only his security and a small circle of close associates know where Putin is these days," said the Faridaily post, which also referred to how Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told state media on Tuesday that an update to Russa's nuclear doctrine was not ready, only for it to be revealed later that day.
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