Inside secret mission to get Biden to Kyiv under the noses of the world from ‘Red Phone’ call to Moscow to news blackout
A TOP secret mission involving news blackouts and spy planes saw Joe Biden arrive in Kyiv to the shock of the world.
The US President’s unprecedented visit was not revealed to the public until the moment he emerged in the Ukrainian capital.
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Although kept secret from the rest of the world, Vladimir Putin was tipped off about the trip through a “red phone line” to the Kremlin.
Biden ordered his team to notify the likely fuming tyrant of the visit just hours before his departure.
White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said Russia was told “for deconfliction purposes”.
He added: “And because of the sensitive nature of those communications I won’t get into how they responded, or what the precise nature of our message was.”
Shortly before Biden arrived in Kyiv, Ukrainian intelligence issued a warned Putin had put his nuclear forces on high alert in a bid to “blackmail” the West
Biden, 80, was today expected to visit Poland to discuss the possibility of increasing the presence of US troops in the country.
But under the noses of the world, Biden and his team executed a highly secretive journey to Kyiv.
The level of deception even saw the White House on Sunday night issue a false public schedule for the president’s Monday morning plans.
It duped the press by claiming Biden would be in Washington during the morning before leaving for Poland that even.
But following in the steps of other world leaders, Biden left the White House at 4.15am and flew to an area close to Ukraine’s border with Poland.
Biden usually travels on Air Force One – a highly customised Boeing 747-200B series aircraft kitted out with the latest security technology and a medical suite.
The usual 13-person strong travelling press pool was scaled right down to one reporter and a single photographer who both had their phones taken away as they were sworn to secrecy.
Biden’s team was also stripped back, with just a few of his closest advisers, a tiny medical team and his Secret Service detail joining the venture.
After jetting into Poland from Joint Base Andrews, Biden then boarded an armoured train and embarked on an almost ten-hour journey to Kyiv, reports the New York Times.
It is unclear where Biden boarded a train away from prying eyes, but when Zelensky made his historic trip to Washington DC he got the train over the Polish border to the city of Przemysl.
High-profile figures are understood to make the journey via a night train – with the risk of flying in over the warzone deemed too high.
But the US leader’s trip wasn’t as simple as a flight and a train journey as security measures were ramped up to the max to stop news of his visit seeping out.
Central Kyiv was sealed off with phone and internet blackouts in an unprecedented lockdown.
Meanwhile, a US spy plane could be seen on public circling over Poland on the border with Ukraine.
In Kyiv, footage shared on social media showed massive motorcades moving through the city.
It sparked speculation of a high-profile visit by a foreign leader – with the trucks and outriders being seen in the US Embassy.
White House communications director Kate Bedingfield said: “Unlike previous visits from presidents to war zones, like Iraq and Afghanistan the US obviously does not have a military presence on the ground in Ukraine, which made a visit from a sitting president all the more challenging.
It comes as:
“But this was a risk that Joe Biden wanted to take.”
Jaws dropped around the world as Ukraine’s hero president Zelensky was then spotted greeting Biden as air raid sirens rang out.
The two leaders embraced near a memorial dedicated to dead Ukrainian servicemen.
Pictures then showed them walking alongside a mural of angels near St Michael’s Cathedral in Kyiv.
The duo then proceeded to discuss new weapons for Ukraine.
The US President vowed Washington will stand with Kyiv for “as long as it takes.”
Biden was wearing aviator sunglasses, while Zelensky was sporting his trademark combat fatigues during the walkabout.
They were followed by a hoard of photographers and video cameras capturing the historic moment.
Biden pledged another $500million (£400million) to support Ukraine, and Zelensky said they discussed long-range weapons.
The latest aid package is expected to include more HIMARS missiles, more artillery shells, and radars.
The White House is also expected to announce a new raft of sanctions against Russian elites and companies.
Biden last visited Ukraine in 2017 on his final foreign trip while serving as vice president for Barack Obama.
His visit came just days before the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion on February 24.
And it occurred as the shadow of a huge new bloody onslaught looms over the war-torn nation.
Putin will be stewing on the major show of US support as he meets with top Chinese diplomat, Wang Yi.
The dueling visits are highly symbolic – with the US warning China could start arming Russia.
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