Putin Tightens Security as Moscow Fears Drone Threats
putin has sharply tightened his security in recent months, with Russia’s Federal Protective Service increasing checks around the president as he spends extended periods in bunkers. The changes come as Kremlin concern over a possible coup or assassination attempt intensified in March.
Staff in Putin’s immediate circle, including cooks, photographers, and bodyguards, have been barred from using public transport, mobile phones, or internet-enabled devices in his presence. State media have also relied on pre-recorded footage to project normality while Putin cuts back visits and meets fewer people in person.
March Fears Inside the Kremlin
A person close to European intelligence services said the concern centered on drones. A person familiar with Putin said, “The shock of Ukraine’s drone operation Spiderweb is still there.” That quote referred to Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian airfields beyond the Arctic Circle last year.
The same security climate was further fueled in January, when the US seizure of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro added to Kremlin unease, according to a second source told the FT. Putin has since tightened security checks for anyone meeting him in person and reduced visits to residences in the Moscow region and in northwestern Valdai.
FSO Checks Around Moscow
The Federal Protective Service has also expanded its physical precautions around the capital. FSO agents are conducting large-scale checks with dog units, stationed along the banks of the Moscow River to respond to possible drone attacks, and recent internet shutdowns in Moscow are at least partly tied to Putin’s security and anti-drone measures.
That tighter security reaches beyond Putin’s own movements. Surveillance systems have been installed in the homes of staff in his immediate circle, while the Kremlin continues to lean on pre-recorded appearances rather than spontaneous public exposure.
Bortnikov, Zolotov, and the Officers
Late last year, security service representatives met with Putin and blamed each other over failures to protect senior Russian military personnel. FSB chief Alexander Bortnikov said the defense ministry lacked a dedicated unit to protect senior officials, while National Guard head Viktor Zolotov denied responsibility and pointed to limited resources.
Lieutenant General Fanil Sarvarov was killed in one of the latest Ukraine-linked attacks on Russian officers, adding another example of the threat environment that officials inside Russia are trying to contain. The next known test of that security posture is whether Putin continues to appear in public with the same level of restriction or keeps shifting more of his routine behind closed doors.
