Russia tightens Putin security amid assassination fears - report
Kremlin concern over drone attacks and coup attempts has intensified sharply since March, according to European intelligence sources
Russia has significantly stepped up security protocols around President Vladimir Putin amid intensifying fears of assassination, with the Federal Protective Service sharply tightening measures in recent months as Putin spends more time in underground bunkers and grows increasingly detached from civilian affairs, according to a Financial Times (FT) report.
The Kremlin's concern over a potential coup or assassination attempt, specifically involving drones, intensified sharply as of March, according to a person close to European intelligence services cited by the FT. "The shock of Ukraine's drone operation Spiderweb is still there," a person familiar with Putin told the newspaper, referring to Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian airfields beyond the Arctic Circle last year. Security fears were further fueled by the US seizure of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro in January, a second source told the FT.
In response, Putin has cut back his visits and tightened security checks for anyone meeting him in person. He and his family have stopped visiting their residences in the Moscow region and in northwestern Valdai, and Putin is now spending extended periods in bunkers, including in the Krasnodar area in southern Russia, while state media use pre-recorded footage to project normality. Staff in his immediate circle, including cooks, photographers, and bodyguards, have been forbidden from using public transport, mobile phones, or internet-enabled devices in his presence, and surveillance systems have been installed in their homes.
Federal Protective Service (FSO) agents are now conducting large-scale checks using dog units and are stationed along the banks of the Moscow River to respond to potential drone attacks, according to European intelligence. The FT also reports that recent internet shutdowns in Moscow are at least partly linked to Putin's security and anti-drone protection measures.
Security concerns extend beyond Putin himself. At a meeting with the president late last year, security service representatives traded blame over failures to protect senior Russian military personnel, including the killing of Lieutenant General Fanil Sarvarov, the latest in a series of Ukraine-linked attacks on Russian officers. Federal Security Service (FSB) chief Alexander Bortnikov blamed the defense ministry for lacking a dedicated unit to protect senior officials, while National Guard head Viktor Zolotov, Putin's former bodyguard, denied responsibility, citing limited resources.