Visitors meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin at his country residence must first pass through a walk-through device that sprays them with disinfectant, to protect him from the coronavirus ( COVID-19 ), officials said.
Mr. Putin has been self-isolating at his Novo-Ogaryovo residence outside Moscow under lockdown although he made a public appearance without a mask at an outdoor event on the June 12 Russia Day holiday.
As part of precautions, visitors walk through the device and get sprayed from above and the side, a video posted on Tuesday evening on Twitter by Kremlin pool journalists from RIA Novosti state news agency showed.
The authorities in Penza region east of Moscow where the device was made boasted that it “ensured the safety of the head of government and all those who visit him.”
The Penza regional government said the president's staff got in touch with the manufacturing company, which until the virus outbreak specialised in automatic cleaning equipment for industrial use.
The device includes facial recognition technology and can take people's temperatures, according to the manufacturers.
The Kremlin has imposed a range of measures to protect Mr. Putin, including regular virus testing of the leader and all those who come into contact with him.
Visitors have to take a virus test before meeting Mr. Putin, his spokesman said.
