Overview
- The European intelligence dossier, obtained by CNN on Monday, details new controls including home surveillance for aides, bans on public transport for staff, two-stage visitor screening, and phones without internet near the president.
- The report says Putin now spends weeks working from upgraded bunkers, often in Russia's Krasnodar region, and has stopped staying at his usual residences or visiting military facilities this year.
- After the December 22, 2025 car bombing that killed Lt. Gen. Fanil Sarvarov, the Kremlin expanded the Federal Protective Service to guard 10 more commanders and cut the number of places Putin appears in person.
- Independent observers, including the Institute for the Study of War, note clear signs of tighter security yet say there is no independent evidence for claims that a coup is imminent or that Sergei Shoigu poses a direct threat.
- Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov cites Ukraine’s longer-range strikes as the driver for precautions, and this week’s Victory Day plans and recent mobile service curbs in major cities reflect the security focus.