Novosibirsk hastily repaved its roads and planted new lawns before Putin’s visit. In his last two stops, gas prices mysteriously dropped when he arrived — and rose again once he left.

Per Meduza, Vladimir Putin arrived in Novosibirsk this week. Ahead of his visit, the city undertook a rapid infrastructure refresh—crews worked to repair roads, restore sidewalks, and refurbish building facades. It marks his first visit to the region since twenty eighteen and his fifth regional stop in just two and a half weeks. This recent travel pace represents a notable shift: Putin had curtailed regional visits for several months, which European intelligence has attributed to security concerns. More recently, his public appearances have increased, coinciding with reports of falling approval ratings. Adding to the intrigue, local media noted that during his stops in Irkutsk and Krasnoyarsk, gasoline prices temporarily dropped when he arrived and rose again as he departed.

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