Kremlin circulating old photos of Putin amid fears of assassination and coup: Report

Russian President Vladimir Putin's security has been increased dramatically following fears of a coup amid a wave of assassinations of top Russian military figures. According to a report by a European intelligence agency, surveillance systems have been installed in the homes of his close staffers, and anyone who works with the president has been barred from travelling on public transport. This includes his bodyguards, cooks and photographers. The dossier, released by a source to CNN and a few other outlets, states that each person going to visit Putin must be screened twice. Further, people who work closely with him can only use phones without internet access. According to the report, the "Kremlin and Vladimir Putin himself have been concerned about potential leaks of sensitive information, as well as the risk of a plot or coup attempt targeting the Russian president."

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Former Putin confidante at centre of coup fears

Putin fears being assassinated, as per the dossier, and is particularly wary of drones that he suspects the Russian elite could use to kill him. But the biggest risk comes from former Putin confidante, Sergei Shoigu, the dossier states. He was once the defence minister but was later removed and is currently serving as secretary of the Security Council. Shoigu "is associated with the risk of a coup, as he retains significant influence within the military high command," the report says. Further, Shoigu’s former deputy and close associate, Ruslan Tsalikov, was arrested on March 5, and this move is considered "a breach of the tacit protection agreements among elites, weakening Shoigu and increasing the likelihood that he himself could become the target of a judicial investigation." However, the report does not provide evidence to suspect Shoigu.

Kremlin is reportedly in the grips of unease and instability, especially since the death of a top general in December. This incident triggered several of these measures, which have now become a point of dispute in the top ranks of Russia’s security establishment. The report comes at a time when the Russian political establishment is said to be facing growing dissent over the Ukraine war and the economic problems at home. Putin is under tight security and has not visited a military facility this year, according to the report. His family stopped going its usual residences in the Moscow region and at Valdai. He has generally been stopped from going to places he typically visits regularly. Since he has not made public appearances for fear of safety, the Kremlin routinely releases pre-recorded images and videos to show people his presence. The report further states that things changed for Putin since the Ukraine war started in 2022, and he has been spending weeks at a time in upgraded bunkers, mainly in the coastal region of Krasnodar.

There have been murmurs of growing dissent inside the Kremlin over the Ukraine War. The growing expenses and loss of life have pushed the conflict to a point that many believe has made it unsustainable. According to estimates by Western nations, the total number of fatalities for Russia stands at 30,000 each month.