Russian President Vladimir Putin has increasingly withdrawn from public view and is reportedly spending extended periods operating from secure bunker locations, according to a report citing Western intelligence sources, amid growing concern over internal threats and potential instability within the Kremlin, the Daily Express reports.
According to the report, security protocols around Putin have been significantly intensified, with the Russian leader said to have abandoned his usual residences out of concern they could be targeted, including by elements within Russia’s own political elite. The findings were published by the independent outlet Important Stories and are based on intelligence assessments from an unidentified Western agency.
“Since the beginning of March 2026, the Kremlin and Vladimir Putin have been concerned about a leak of sensitive information and, at the same time, about the risk of a plot or coup attempt against the Russian president,” the outlet reports. “In particular, he fears the use of drones for a possible assassination attempt by members of the Russian political elite.”
The report also points to rising suspicion surrounding senior figures, including Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu, who is described as being “associated with the risk of a coup attempt”. Tensions reportedly escalated following the arrest last month of his former deputy, Ruslan Tsalikov, who is suspected of amassing nearly $68 million in family assets through corruption.
Shoigu’s name first surfaced in connection with alleged coup concerns in recent weeks, according to the same intelligence assessment.
Security enforcement by the Federal Protective Service has been sharply increased, with tighter controls placed on access to government facilities and the president himself.
“The FSO has significantly tightened security measures” around Putin, according to the report. “Visitors to the Presidential Administration undergo two levels of screening, including a full body search by FSO officers,” the report revealed.
Authorities have also restricted Putin’s movements, limiting the locations he visits and reportedly ending trips to familiar residences such as Novo-Ogaryovo and Valdai.
“The FSO has significantly reduced the list of locations regularly visited by the president; neither he nor his family visit their usual residences in the Moscow region [Novo-Ogaryovo] and Valdai anymore,” it states.
The report claims that since the start of the war in Ukraine, Putin has frequently relied on fortified underground facilities, particularly in southern Russia, where he is said to remain for extended periods while official communications continue through pre-recorded appearances.
“since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, Putin has often taken refuge in renovated bunkers, particularly in the Krasnodar region, where he may work for weeks, while Russian media continue public communication using pre-recorded footage.”
The Krasnodar region, which has been targeted in Ukrainian drone strikes, is also home to Putin’s large Gelendzhik residence, a multi-level complex built into a cliffside.
Additional security precautions reportedly include periodic shutdowns of mobile internet across Moscow and expanded surveillance measures.
“FSO officers conduct large-scale checks using canine units and are also deployed along the Moscow River, ready to respond to possible drone attacks,” it states.
Media access has also been tightened, with security officials reportedly reviewing all public messaging about the president following what is described as a classified directive.
According to the report, individuals working closely with Putin face strict limitations, including bans on using internet-enabled mobile devices and restrictions on travel, relying instead on secure transportation arranged by state security services.
Heightened security measures have also been extended to senior military leadership following the assassination of Lt. Gen. Fanil Sarvarov in a car bombing in Moscow late last year, an attack believed at the time to be linked to Ukraine.
The killing reportedly triggered internal tensions among top officials, leading to a contentious meeting in which senior figures accused one another of failing to prevent the breach.
The report states the meeting concluded with Putin calling for calm while directing officials to submit proposals to address the situation.
Additional protections were subsequently ordered for high-ranking generals, amid concerns over further attacks.
The report also suggests that growing security fears may be reflected in recent political signals, including the absence of State Duma deputies from invitations to the Victory Day parade on Red Square.
Roman Amin, founder of Important Stories, described the broader context behind the developments, warning of deepening internal strain within Russia’s leadership.
“The stalemate in the war in Ukraine, the painful Ukrainian drone strikes on oil infrastructure, and economic and social problems…were bound to eventually lead to a war between Russian power clans for the throne of the weakening dictator.”
Putin, he added, “who built this system of power himself, understands well what awaits him-hence the increased paranoia, the unprecedented isolation from the people and his own entourage.”
{Matzav.com}
