Vladimir Putin faced embarrassment when one of his top propagandists inadvertently disclosed the location of a secret military facility through a toilet sign. The blundering chief TV propagandist, Vladimir Solovyov, mistakenly revealed the whereabouts of Russia’s elite drone unit, allowing experts to pinpoint the secret site. An unobscured toilet sign in Solovyov’s report led to the identification of the Rubicon HQ at the Patriot Exhibition Centre near Moscow, exposing a significant security breach for Putin amid his ongoing conflict with Ukraine.
The exposed site has already been targeted by Ukrainian drones and may face further attacks following this careless revelation. Despite being a well-paid state TV propagandist for Putin, Solovyov failed to conceal the crucial details of the Rubicon location in his report.
Open-source intelligence (OSINT) researchers were able to uncover the head of Rubicon, a center specializing in advanced unmanned technologies, along with its leader Colonel Sergei Budnikov. A local report from Radio Liberty highlighted how the toilet sign inadvertently disclosed the secret location, pointing out that Solovyov’s oversight in blurring the restroom sign and the accompanying light board allowed the site to be identified.
The exposure of Rubicon represents a setback for Putin’s defense minister Andrei Belousov, who oversaw its development. The center is instrumental in the research, testing, and deployment of new drones, as well as training operators for frontline operations in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Additionally, Solovyov faced criticism for his recent controversial statements, including threats against British RAF pilots and false claims about France sending nuclear missiles to Poland. Western warplanes have been deployed to protect Poland in response to Russian provocations, including airspace violations with drones.
The inadvertent disclosure of the Rubicon location underscores the importance of maintaining strict security protocols in sensitive military operations, particularly in the midst of escalating tensions between Russia and Ukraine.