Inside the security fortress around Trump-Putin Alaska summit and the secret spy war behind it

Putin’s team is expected to use disposable “burner” phones and laptops to avoid US surveillance.

When US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin meet in Anchorage in just a few hours, the talks will be wrapped in one of the tightest security operations Alaska has ever seen. National security sources told CNN that the measures are designed not just to shield both leaders from physical threats, but also to guard them from each other’s intelligence services.

Federal agents and military teams surged into Anchorage earlier this week for the hastily arranged summit. While the US Secret Service is leading the effort, they are working in coordination with Putin’s personal protective detail, a rare show of logistical cooperation between the two sides.

High-tech eyes in the sky

This morning, a Boeing E-3C military surveillance aircraft lifted off from the summit’s host airfield, according to online flight-tracking records reviewed by CNN. Its massive radar dome allows it to detect incoming threats ranging from aircraft to missiles, adding an extra layer of protection over Anchorage’s skies.

The precautions extend far beyond the visible. Security teams are monitoring the city for any unusual movements or potential disruptions, while maintaining secure perimeters around the leaders’ meeting venues.

Zero trust in the shadow game

Behind the scenes, the collaboration between US and Russian security stops at the point of espionage. “There’s zero trust here between (intelligence) services,” one official who has taken part in past high-profile meetings told CNN.

US and Russian officials are as focused on preventing each other from snooping as they are on physical safety. Wary of American technical surveillance, Putin’s delegation is expected to use “burner” phones and disposable laptops, CNN’s source said. These devices would be discarded after the trip to avoid compromise.

The same source noted that such security briefings are standard for Russian officials, but unnecessary for their boss. Putin, after all, is a former KGB intelligence officer who understands the rules of the spy game as well as anyone.