Putin’s former schoolteacher reignites body double rumours by asking ‘is that you?’

Vladimir Putin’s former schoolteacher seemed leery of the Russian president while meeting with him at an arranged dinner.

In a carefully stage-managed meeting, Putin arrived at teacher Vera Gurevich’s Moscow hotel to take her out for dinner.

While meeting him, the former teacher, now 92, peered uncertainly at his face and asked him doubtfully: ‘Is that you?’

Putin smiled and replied: ‘Yes, it’s me. It’s me.’

Her remarks have reignited a debate about Putin’s use of body doubles amid security fears.

Still, after the President confirmed it was him, Gurevich kissed him as he handed her a large bouquet.

Putin’s retired teacher, who also taught him German, was bundled into the back of the Aurus and driven away for dinner in the Kremlin, escorted by security vehicles.

Gurevich has previously revealed how, aged 16, Putin slaughtered a duck on a school trip before it was cooked for dinner.

She said: ‘He pulled a blanket over himself, covering his head completely. He said: ‘Bring in the unfortunate one, lay her head so that, without seeing her, I can sever her head with a single blow.’’

The retired teacher also revealed that as a schoolboy, Putin ‘wasn’t particularly interested in girls at all.’

She said: ‘Honestly, I could never imagine that it’d be Vladimir Putin who’d become president, head of our great state. He’s a talented man, but I’ve always thought he’d make a lawyer.’

Putin has been increasingly worried about his security, having retreated to living and working in many bunkers amid fears of a new coup, Western intelligence found.

Security has been massively increased around Putin, who has abandoned his favourite palaces, fearing they could be targets of drone strikes by his own entourage. 

The new analysis cites an unnamed Western intelligence agency and was first revealed by Russian news outlet Important Stories. 

‘Since the beginning of March 2026, the Kremlin and Vladimir Putin have been concerned about a leak of sensitive information and, at the same time, about the risk of a plot or coup attempt against the Russian president,’ it’s been claimed.

‘In particular, he fears the use of drones for a possible assassination attempt by members of the Russian political elite.’

Putin’s Security Council Secretary, Sergei Shoigu, who was Minister of Defence for the first years of the war, is allegedly associated with the risk of a coup attempt.

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