The President of Russia now lives in isolation

Security situation in the Kremlin

Putin is retreating more and more into bunkers

Putin has his cooks monitored and spends more time in bunkers – such is the Russian president’s fear of an assassination attempt. The concern is not entirely unfounded.

The Federal Security Service (FSO) has significantly tightened security precautions around the Russian head of state. According to people close to the Kremlin, cited by the Financial Times, Putin is spending more and more time in underground bunkers. He also controls the war meticulously down to the last detail and increasingly stays away from civil affairs.

Putin’s isolation has increased in recent years, particularly since the Covid-19 pandemic. But since March, concerns in the Kremlin about a coup or an assassination attempt have “increased significantly,” a person close to European intelligence services told the Financial Times. The newspaper quotes another person familiar with Putin as saying that the shock over the Ukrainian drone operation “Spiderweb” is still deep. Security concerns were further heightened by the US arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in January, according to a second person close to the president.

In response, the FSO further tightened the already strict security measures. Putin has reduced his public appearances. Security checks for people who meet him personally have also been increased, according to the source close to European secret services.

The president and his family will no longer travel to their residences in the Moscow region or in Valdai in the northwest. Instead, Putin spends more time in bunkers, where he sometimes works for weeks. Meanwhile, to convey normality, state media uses pre-recorded material.

According to the report, employees from Putin’s closest circle – including chefs, photographers and bodyguards – are no longer allowed to use public transport or use cell phones or internet-enabled devices near him. Surveillance systems were installed in their homes.

In fact, dissatisfaction with Putin and his conduct of war against Ukraine continues to grow. Putin’s annual poll numbers have fallen to their lowest level since autumn 2022, according to the independent Russian platform “Meduza”.