Russia has sharply tightened security around Vladimir Putin in recent months, with the Federal Protective Service imposing new layers of checks as Kremlin fears over a coup or assassination attempt rose sharply as of March. The president has cut back his visits, tightened screening for anyone meeting him face to face and spent long stretches in bunkers, including in southern Russia's Krasnodar area.
The shift has been driven in part by fear of drones. A person close to European intelligence services told the Financial Times the concern centered on drone threats, while a person familiar with Putin said, “The shock of Ukraine’s drone operation Spiderweb is still there,” referring to last year’s Ukrainian strikes on Russian airfields beyond the Arctic Circle. Security fears were also said to have intensified in January after the US seizure of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.
Putin and his family have stopped visiting residences in the Moscow region and in northwestern Valdai, and state media have turned increasingly to pre-recorded footage to preserve the appearance of routine. Staff in his immediate circle have been barred from using public transport, mobile phones or internet-enabled devices in his presence, while surveillance systems have been installed in their homes. FSO agents have also carried out large-scale checks with dog units and stationed themselves along the banks of the Moscow River to respond to possible drone attacks.
The tightening reflects a broader security environment that now mixes fear of airborne attacks with concern about political instability. Recent internet shutdowns in Moscow are understood to be linked at least in part to Putin's security and anti-drone measures, a sign that the effort to shield him is spilling into daily life in the capital.
The unease inside the system was laid bare late last year, when security officials met with Putin and traded blame over failures to protect senior military personnel. Lieutenant General Fanil Sarvarov had been killed in a Ukraine-linked attack, FSB chief Alexander Bortnikov blamed the defense ministry for lacking a dedicated unit to protect senior officials, and National Guard head Viktor Zolotov rejected responsibility, citing limited resources. The result is a Kremlin that is treating risk around putin not as a theoretical threat, but as an operational one.
