How did Joe Biden suddenly reach Kyiv, read the inside story of the US President's visit to Ukraine

Posted on 21st Feb 2023 by rohit kumar

The world was taken by surprise on Monday when US President Joe Biden suddenly arrived in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine. Biden, who arrived in Kyiv, assured Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky that America was with him and that in the coming times, he would be given more weapons to counter the Russian army. Let's know how the journey of Biden started and how it was kept secret...

 

the journey started at midnight

Biden's journey to Kyiv began at midnight in a military airport hangar outside Washington. At 4 a.m. Sunday, he boarded an Air Force Boeing 757, better known as a C-32. It was parked far away from where Biden usually boards the plane.

 

Who went to Ukraine with Biden?

Fifteen minutes later, Biden left for Ukraine with a handful of security personnel, a small medical team, close advisers, and two journalists have sworn to secrecy. Members of the press accompany Biden wherever he goes—whether it's to church or international summits.

 

Journalists' phones seized

Sabrina Siddiqui, a reporter for The Wall Street Journal, revealed that she and the photographer were called to Joint Base Andrews outside Washington at 2:15 am. Here their phones were confiscated. The call was not returned to Biden until he arrived in the Ukrainian capital nearly 24 hours later.

 

The plane flew for about seven hours from Washington to the US military base in Ramstein, Germany, to refuel. Here also the window shades remained down and Biden did not exit the plane. From here the next flight was to Poland, landing at Rzeszow-Jasionka airport.

 

It may be a Polish airport, but since the Ukraine war, it has also become an international hub for US-led efforts to arm Ukrainians funneling billions of dollars of arms and ammunition. Even at this point, Siddiqui and the photographer, The Associated Press' Evan Vucci, had not seen Biden. After this, he did not see Biden at the airport or even when he entered the SUV convoy.

 

Biden reached Ukraine by train

Reporters traveling with Biden often go on motorcycles, but this time was very different. No sirens sounded, nor was it announced that the US president was going to Przemysl Głony, a Polish train station near the Ukrainian border. Journalists were asked to board the train at 9:15 pm local time. There were about eight cars on the train. Most of the people on board were 'heavy security'.

 

The train reached Kyiv with the rising sun

Biden's 10-hour trip to Ukraine was unlike any other trip by a modern American president. He went to an active war zone, where, unlike presidential visits to Afghanistan or Iraq, there were no US troops providing security. The train reached Kyiv with the rising sun.

 

Biden last visited the Ukrainian capital when he was the US Vice President during Barack Obama's tenure. They landed in Kyiv at approximately 8:07 am. He said it was good to be back in Kyiv.

 

Also Read: Joe Biden: Biden arrived to meet Zelensky just before the anniversary of the Russia-Ukraine war, is something big going to happen?

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