Police Close M-11 Highway Near Putin's Valdai Residence

Russian traffic police closed the M-11 expressway in both directions on June 26 in the morning in Tver region without explanation. The road closure extended approximately 90 kilometres and occurred near Vladimir Putin's Valdai residence. The area is also reportedly home to Olympic champion Alina Kabaeva.

Russian traffic police closed the M-11 toll expressway in both directions on June 26 at 10:00 Moscow time in Tver region. No explanation was given for the closure, according to eyewitnesses who reported to the Ostorozhno Novosti channel on Telegram.

A long traffic jam formed near the village of Kolomno. Vehicle movement was halted in several locations without any warning, causing significant chaos on the roadside.

90-kilometre closure near Valdai

According to Agentstvo, the road closure extended approximately 90 kilometres based on Google Maps data, in the immediate vicinity of Vladimir Putin's Valdai residence. The closure was scheduled to last until 17:00 Moscow time.

Notably, Russian map services Yandex Maps and 2GIS did not register the official closure, although both showed significant traffic congestion in the area.

Kabaeva's home in the region

The area is noteworthy for another reason: in 2023, Russian outlet Proekt revealed that Olympic champion Alina Kabaeva's home is located near the Valdai residence. Kabaeva is widely regarded as close to Putin and is believed to be the mother of three of the Russian president's children.

The actual reason for the road closure remains unclear, with Russian authorities providing no explanation.