Putin To Visit India: Do You Know Why The Russian President Carries His ‘Potty Suitcase’ On Foreign Trips?

Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to visit India on December 4–5, 2025, at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, according to Russian state news agencies citing the Kremlin. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) earlier confirmed that Putin will be in New Delhi for the 23rd India–Russia Annual Summit and bilateral discussions with Prime Minister Modi.

In a statement on Friday, the MEA reiterated, “At the invitation of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, President of the Russian Federation H.E. Mr. Vladimir Putin will pay a State Visit to India from 4–5 December 2025 for the 23rd India–Russia Annual Summit.”

During the visit, Putin will hold formal talks with PM Modi, and Hon’ble Rashtrapatiji will host a banquet in the Russian President’s honour.

Why Putin Travels With a Waste-Collection Team, Poop Suit Cases

Away from official meetings, Putin is known for an unusual security measure: he reportedly ensures that none of his bodily waste is left behind on foreign trips. 

Reports have long suggested that Putin’s bodyguards gather his stool whenever he travels. One such instance was reportedly during his meeting with former US President Donald Trump in Alaska, where security teams stayed close and multiple safeguards were put in place.

According to reports published in the French news magazine Paris Match, the Russian President employs a dedicated Federal Protection Service (FPS) team tasked with retrieving his excrement during overseas visits and transporting it back to Russia in secure containers.

Also Read: Ukraine Ceasefire Off the Table? Putin Lays Out Tough New Terms, ‘Must Withdar’

Putin’s Health Reasons For Carrying Poop Suitcase?

Putin’s health has been a subject of global speculation for years. In November last year, the 72-year-old was seen with noticeable leg tremors during a press conference in Astana, Kazakhstan, prompting doctors to suggest the possibility of conditions such as Parkinson’s disease.

Several analysts have also claimed that Putin may be battling cancer and is concerned that stool samples could reveal medical treatments or underlying conditions.

Ben de Lacy Costello, Associate Professor of Biosensing and Diagnostics at the University of the West England Bristol, explained, “If he was on chemotherapy then it may show up. Depending on what kind of drug it was and how it was metabolized by the liver and the excretion pathway.”

‘Excrement Espionage’: A Long History Among World Leaders

Putin is not the first leader allegedly involved in what some analysts call “excrement espionage.”

The long-standing history of intelligence agencies using stool for surveillance further fuels such concerns. A former Soviet agent previously claimed that Stalin ordered excrement-based intelligence gathering on Mao and other leaders.

Soviet leader Joseph Stalin reportedly ordered stool samples to be collected from Chairman Mao Zedong during Mao’s 10-day visit to the Soviet Union in 1949. Special toilets with retrieval boxes were installed, and the samples were sent to laboratories for analysis.

How the FPS Handles Putin’s Poop

In 2022, French journalists Régis Gente and Mikhail Rubin reported in Paris Match that the Federal Protection Service collects Putin’s bodily waste, including feces, seals it in specialised bags, and transports it in secure briefcases back to Russia.

The report also noted that such procedures were in place during Putin’s visit to France.

Also Read: Vladimir Putin To Visit India On December 4, 5; For 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit: MEA