Overview
- European intelligence dossiers published in early May report that Vladimir Putin now spends much of his time in underground bunkers to direct the war in Ukraine.
- The reports say the Kremlin banned internet-enabled phones for close staff, installed surveillance systems in aides’ homes, and required travel only in Federal Protective Service vehicles.
- Security officials have sharply cut the number of places Putin visits, with no military site visits this year, and state media has relied at times on pre-recorded footage to fill gaps.
- The December 22, 2025 assassination of Lt. Gen. Fanil Sarvarov is cited as a trigger for tougher protocols, including higher personal protection for about 10 senior commanders and tighter elite oversight after March’s detention of Ruslan Tsalikov.
- The Kremlin confirmed a security-driven change to next week’s Victory Day events by dropping heavy weaponry from the Red Square parade, with spokesman Dmitri Peskov pointing to the threat from longer-range Ukrainian strikes.