For most travellers, an international journey begins with a passport, a suitcase and a trip to the airport, but of course that is not the case when you are the president of a country. For Vladimir Putin, travelling abroad is an operation that can involve specially modified aircraft, a second plane serving as a decoy and an armoured limousine transported thousands of kilometres from Moscow. Putin’s recent arrival in New Delhi for the BRICS Summit offered a glimpse into just how different presidential travel can be. He arrived aboard one of Russia’s specially modified Ilyushin IL-96-300PU aircraft, while another identical aircraft was also airborne. The idea is simple: make it difficult to determine which plane is actually carrying the Russian president. The aircraft itself is perhaps the most remarkable part of the journey. Often nicknamed the 'Flying Kremlin,' the IL-96-300PU is based on the long-range IL-96-300, a four-engine Russian aircraft. It stretches more than 55 metres and has a wingspan of about 60 metres, while its range of roughly 11,000 kilometres allows it to undertake long international journeys without frequent refuelling. But calling it a presidential plane barely captures what it is designed to do. The aircraft has secure communications capable of connecting the Russian leadership with government, military and intelligence networks. It also incorporates satellite communications, protected radio and data channels and electronic countermeasures, effectively allowing it to function as a mobile command centre while in the air. Then there is the less obvious side of the experience: comfort. Inside the aircraft are private spaces, bedrooms, bathrooms, a kitchen, dining areas and a conference room. In other words, a long-haul journey does not require Putin to surrender the working environment of the Kremlin simply because he is thousands of kilometres away. Yet the journey does not end when the aircraft lands. For overseas visits, Putin is known to travel with his own Aurus Senat presidential limousine. The heavily protected vehicle has become almost as recognisable as his aircraft and is often described as a 'fortress on wheels.' The reason for bringing a presidential car from Russia rather than simply using a host country's official vehicle is control and continuity. Putin's specially adapted Senat is built around protection, with features reported to include ballistic resistance, run-flat tyres, secure communications and systems intended to keep occupants protected in extreme circumstances. Earlier reporting has described the presidential version as weighing around seven tonnes and measuring close to seven metres in length. That means an overseas presidential trip involves much more than booking a flight and arranging a motorcade. Aircraft, vehicles, communications systems and security personnel all have to move in coordination. It also explains why images of Putin arriving in another country can look deceptively simple. The moment the Russian president steps onto a foreign runway, an enormous amount of planning has already taken place behind the scenes. For an ordinary traveller, the destination is the journey's main event. For Putin, the journey itself is a carefully engineered extension of the office he occupies, a travelling combination of aircraft, command centre and armoured road transport that allows the Russian president to carry an extraordinary degree of security and infrastructure wherever he goes. Travel News - Find latest news and tips based on Indian and World travel including top 10 travel destination, tourism information, how to reach visit and more at Times Now. Simran covers books that start conversations, beauty insights, fashion moods, and stories that make people feel something. Off duty? You’ll find her c... View More