Putin is so paranoid about being tracked, he travels in a secret grey train that stealthily blends in with other Russian locomotives, says a former elite Russian security officer

• Vladimir Putin rides in a train because planes can be tracked, said an FSO officer who defected.
• The train is indistinguishable from other Russian trains "for stealth purposes," the officer said.
• His account aligns with previous reports that Putin secretly travels in trains to avoid being tracked.

Russian President Vladimir Putin travels in a special train so he can avoid using planes that can be monitored on flight trackers, said a former federal security officer who worked with the Russian leader's security detail.