Russian President Vladimir Putin faced embarrassment as one of his key propagandists, Vladimir Solovyov, inadvertently disclosed the location of a top-secret military site through a public toilet sign. Solovyov’s report led experts to pinpoint the whereabouts of Russia’s elite drone unit, located at the Patriot Exhibition Centre near Moscow. This revelation, stemming from unmasked toilet signs, exposed the Rubicon HQ, a significant setback for Putin amid the ongoing conflict with Ukraine.
The exposed site, housing the advanced unmanned technologies center known as Rubicon, and overseen by Colonel Sergei Budnikov, has already been targeted by Ukrainian drones. Solovyov, a well-paid state TV propagandist, failed to conceal the critical details in his report, potentially making the location vulnerable to further attacks.
Publicly available information allowed OSINT researchers to identify key figures at Rubicon, implicating Defense Minister Andrei Belousov in the development of the center. Rubicon plays a pivotal role in drone development, operator training, and frontline deployment, contributing significantly to recent military operations in regions like Kursk and Donetsk.
The inadvertent exposure of Rubicon not only jeopardizes its operations but also highlights the center’s strategic importance in Russia’s military successes. Solovyov’s recent controversies, including threats against British RAF pilots and spreading false information about France’s military activities, have further intensified tensions as Western forces bolster defenses against Russian aggression in Eastern Europe.
