How did US keep Biden's surprise Ukraine visit a secret
What's the story
United States President Joe Biden's visit to Ukraine on Monday amid the war surprised everyone, including the political establishment in Washington. From Biden taking a comparatively smaller plane with all shades down to boarding a train in Poland, Ukraine's neighbor, to reach and express solidarity with the nation under attack, we look at the covert manner in which the US president arrived in Ukraine.
Context
Why does this story matter?
With the constant media focus on his words and actions, Biden is likely the world's most scrutinized person. The United States president's Ukraine visit was kept secret as the White House earlier told reporters that his only stop would be Poland. Reportedly, it was the first time an American president entered a wartime country that did not have an active US military presence.
Plane
Biden left US in a smaller plane
In the early hours of Sunday, Biden took an Air Force Boeing 757, also called a C-32, a smaller version of the Air Force One aircraft that US presidents use for international trips. The plane was reportedly parked at a distance from where Biden usually boards a plane, and all the shades of its windows were also pulled down.
Company
Only 2 media persons accompanied Biden
Security personnel, a medical team, advisors, and two journalists—who were sworn to secrecy—boarded the plane with Biden. Usually, 13 journalists from radio, TV, and written publications accompany the president on foreign trips. However, it was downsized on this trip to only Wall Street Journal reporter Sabrina Siddiqui and AP photographer Evan Vucci, whose phones remained confiscated until they arrived in Ukraine 24 hours later.
Route
Reached Poland after layover in Germany
After seven hours of taking off from Washington, the plane made a refueling stop at the US military base in Ramstein, Germany. Thereafter, the plane headed to Poland and landed at Rzeszow-Jasionka Airport. Since the Russia-Ukraine crisis began nearly a year ago, the airport has become an international hub for the US and its allies to channel arms, ammunition, and other weaponry to Ukraine.
Train
Train from Poland to Ukraine
From the airport, Biden and company headed to Przemysl Glowny, a Polish railway station near the Ukrainian border, in a motorcade of SUVs. No sirens were sounded, and the convoy stealthily reached the station, where they boarded the train at around 9:15 pm (local time) on Sunday. After nearly 10 hours, the train arrived in Kyiv at 8:07 am (local time) on Monday.
Russia
Alerted Russsia before visit to prevent any miscalculation potential: US
US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan on Monday told reporters that they had informed Russia about Biden's secret visit to Ukraine hours before he left in an effort to avoid a conflict while he was in Kyiv. "We did so some hours before his departure for deconfliction purposes," Sulivan said, declining to elaborate on how or what Russia responded.