Russian President Vladimir Putin landed in New Delhi for the bilateral summit on December 4, 2025, amidst exceptional warmth and high security. (Image Source: Instagram/wladimir_putin_)
The 1978 disco hit "Rasputin" by Boney M is celebrated for its catchy beat and dramatic story. The song focuses on Grigori Rasputin, a real-life Russian mystic who gained great influence over the family of Tsar Nicholas II in the early 20th century, famously for his supposed healing powers and his mysterious, scandalous life, which ended in his assassination.
The subject of the song, Rasputin, is often confused with Russia's current President, Vladimir Putin, simply because of the similarity in their names and the lyrics that describe a powerful, influential Russian figure.
All of that connection is a myth, purely a coincidence. It was released in 1978, long before Vladimir Putin rose to power. Social media has greatly contributed to this speculation, with viral videos pairing footage of President Putin with the disco track, playfully labeling him "Russia's greatest love machine" and adding to his tough, unkillable public image.
Russian President Vladimir Putin landed in New Delhi for the bilateral summit on December 4, 2025, amidst exceptional warmth and high security.
The welcome was marked by a rare gesture as Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally received him at the Palam Airport with a handshake and a warm hug, breaking standard diplomatic protocol to signal the strength of the India-Russia relationship.
The two leaders drove away in the same vehicle before Modi hosted a private dinner for Putin. Formal engagements included a ceremonial welcome at Rashtrapati Bhavan and summit talks at Hyderabad House.
President Putin traveled with a very large and extremely sophisticated security contingent. The exact number is never officially publicized, but a multi-layered grid of security personnel is brought along.
The innermost core of this protection is entrusted to his own elite Russian Presidential Security Service-the SBP. These highly trained Russian personnel coordinate with India's top anti-terror units, including NSG commandos and SPG units.
The security arrangements included anti-drone systems, snipers on rooftops, and the deployment of his custom-made, heavily armored Aurus Senat limousine, popularly described as a "rolling bunker," which had been flown in from Moscow.
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While President Putin has visited India on many occasions for summit meetings and other diplomatic engagements throughout his term in office, there is no public record or official confirmation of him having ever joined these state visits with his immediate family, namely his daughters. His trips to India have historically been focused strictly on high-level political and strategic cooperation.
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