Vladimir Putin has retreated to living in bunkers where he works amid latest fears of a coup, in keeping with a Western intelligence agency.
Security has been massively increased around Putin, who has abandoned his favourite palaces, fearing they could possibly be targets of drone strikes by his own entourage.
The brand new evaluation cites an unnamed Western intelligence agency and was first revealed by Russian news outlet Necessary Stories.
‘For the reason that starting of March 2026, the Kremlin and Vladimir Putin have been concerned about a leak of sensitive information and, at the identical time, about the chance of a plot or coup attempt against the Russian president,’ it’s been claimed.
‘Particularly, he fears the usage of drones for a possible assassination attempt by members of the Russian political elite.’
Putin’s Security Council Secretary, Sergei Shoigu, who was Minister of Defence for the primary years of the war, is allegedly related to the chance of a coup attempt.
Enroll for all of the most recent stories
Start your day informed with Metro’s News Updates newsletter or get Breaking News alerts the moment it happens.
The Kremlin has already tried to weaken Shoigu’s power, arresting his former deputy last month under suspicion of corruptly making over £50 million in family assets.
Fears of one other coup, after the Wagner rise up in 2023, are growing for Putin, with the Federal Protective Service saying it has ‘significantly tightened security measures’ around Putin.
Any visitors to the Presidential Administration now undergo two levels of screening and a full body search.
Putin has also slashed the variety of location she visits – avoiding his usual haunts in Novo Ogaryovo and his Valdai palace.
Putin lives together with his glamorous Olympic gymnast partner Alina Kabaeva, 42, and their sons Ivan, 11, and Vladimir, six. The kids use the family name Spiridonov.
For the reason that starting of the war in Ukraine, Putin has often taken refuge in renovated bunkers, particularly within the Krasnodar region, where he may fit for weeks, the report added.
The Krasnodar region is usually attacked by Ukrainian drones, but additionally the placement of Putin’s £1 billion clifftop Gelendzhik palace, equipped with multiple underground floors.
To up his security, Putin has also stopped visiting military locations.
The extent of paranoia is obvious from the claims that ‘personnel working near Putin at the moment are prohibited from using mobile phones — they have to use devices without web access.’
Surveillance systems have also been installed on the homes of cooks, photographers and bodyguards of the despot.
‘The intense level of Putin’s fear of an assassination attempt or conspiracy can be not directly indicated by the indisputable fact that this yr not a single deputy of the State Duma [member of parliament] received an invite to the Victory Day parade on Red Square,’ the report said.
Get in contact with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.
MORE: Businessman dies from shock after learning his punishment for beating his girlfriend
MORE: £50,000,000,000 hearing loss legal bill ‘to place huge strain on Ministry of Defence’
MORE: Russian minister ‘dodges Putin’s security service and flees to US’ after sacking