Russian state TV host Vladimir Solovyov accidentally revealed the location of an elite Russian unit, after which Ukraine’s armed forces struck it with a “Lyutyi” drone.
In a TV segment about Russia’s military, a poorly blurred “toilet” sign and distinctive interior details exposed the site of the “Rubikon” base - an elite drone unit of Russia’s armed forces. Journalists with Radio Svoboda carried out the investigation, highlighting the high-profile misstep.
The base, it turns out, is not in a “secret bunker,” but inside the Patriot exhibition center near Moscow - the same venue that hosts military shows and exhibitions for visitors. It was details from Solovyov’s footage, not official videos from the Defense Ministry or “Rubikon” itself, that allowed investigators to pinpoint the location.
Solovyov’s editors tried to blur sensitive shots but did so so clumsily that signs and columns with the hall’s unique finishes remained visible. A few seconds of imagery were enough for journalists to piece the puzzle together. The secrecy of one of the Russian army’s most hyped units now appears largely nominal.
“Rubikon” had been considered an elite formation - its operators were dubbed “cyber special forces” and heroes of the drone war. But the base appears to sit effectively in public view, inside a building that routinely admits visitors. Moreover, the center had already come under attack in May by a Ukrainian “Lyutyi” drone.
Instead of showcasing strength, Russian state media once again put the military in a compromising position. The outcome: Solovyov effectively revealed what the Defense Ministry had tried hard to conceal.
