Watch: Putin drives Aurus, picks up his school teacher for dinner at Kremlin

One of the world’s most guarded and feared leaders showed up at a hotel with a bouquet of flowers for his old school teacher -- then drove her himself to the Kremlin for dinner. That unexpected scene involving Russian President Vladimir Putin and his teacher Vera Gurevich has gone massively viral.

The video, released through Russian state media channels, shows Putin, dressed casually in jeans and a light jacket, greeting the 88-year-old retired teacher with a bouquet before embracing her warmly inside a Moscow hotel. Gurevich, visibly emotional, tears up as she hugs her former student, who is now one of the world’s most powerful leaders.

Then came the part that grabbed the internet’s attention: Putin personally taking the wheel. The Russian president drove himself to Gurevich’s hotel in a black Aurus SUV, picked up his teacher and then drove her through central Moscow for dinner following Russia’s Victory Day celebrations.

Gurevich taught Putin German during his childhood at Leningrad School No. 193 in what is now St. Petersburg. Like many schools in Russia and the former Soviet Union, the institution was identified by a number rather than a formal name. Russian media reports said the two also spent time speaking privately before dinner.

The Kremlin said Putin had invited his former teacher to Moscow as a guest for the annual Victory Day parade, one of Russia’s biggest state events commemorating the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany during World War II. According to presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, a cultural programme was also arranged for her, including visits to galleries and Moscow landmarks.

But none of that became the headline online.

Instead, the internet locked onto an unusual sight from the Kremlin orbit: Vladimir Putin carrying flowers for his old teacher, holding her carefully as she walked, then taking the driver’s seat himself for the ride through Moscow.

WHY THE KREMLIN RELEASED THE FOOTAGE NOW

The Kremlin released the footage just as several Western media reports claimed Putin had spent weeks isolated inside secure bunkers amid fears over assassination threats.

Those reports, based on a European intelligence assessment, claimed security around the Russian President had tightened during Russia’s May 9 Victory Day celebrations. Some claims even portrayed Putin as a leader increasingly cut off from ordinary Russians while directing the war in Ukraine from underground command centres.

The Kremlin dismissed the reports as baseless.

INTERNET CAN’T STOP TALKING ABOUT IT

The clip spread rapidly across X. "At times Putin does stuff that amazes me I mean, this dude is hilarious," one user wrote.

"Love this man and his sense of gratitude," another commented.

Others were less convinced. "It may be political theatre, but regardless, she clearly feels loved and appreciated, and that is awesome," one comment read.

Another user wrote: "Whatever he is Vladimir Putin dictator or a non socialist this is very much a commendable gesture for his teacher and remember that's a great human nature he has shown after all."

The timing of the video also drew attention. It surfaced during Russia’s heavily choreographed Victory Day events, where Putin appeared alongside military commanders and foreign allies amid war with Ukraine. Putin claimed the conflict was "coming to an end," even as both sides exchanged accusations of ceasefire violations before fighting resumed immediately upon its expiration on May 12.

- Ends

With inputs from Reuters