Did Russia already know about Biden's 'secret' trip to Ukraine's Kyiv? How USA planned surprise visit

Ahead of President Joe Biden's secret trip to Ukraine on 20 February 2023, the United States of America had given a heads-up to Russia, according to news agency Associated Press. Despite this, Washington tried to keep the trip under wraps.

Biden left the White House at around 3:30 am on 19 February to board a plane which was parked in the dark with its window-shades down. He jetted off to Europe in an Air Force C-32 plane, instead of Air Force One - the US President's usual aerial ride.

After refuelling in Germany, the plane switched off its transponder until it reached Poland around an hour later. Then, the US President took a train for a 10-hour overnight journey to Kyiv.

Biden arrived in Ukraine's capital at 8 am on 20 February. The American leader roamed around Kyiv in a white SUV instead of the usual limousine.

All this while, US surveillance planes kept an eye on Kyiv from Polish airspace.