Report: Putin fears assassination attempt by Russia’s political elite, tightens security

Russia’s Federal Protective Service (FSO) has significantly stepped up measures to protect Vladimir Putin, driven by his fears of a possible assassination attempt, according to a European intelligence service report reviewed by iStories, an independent Russian investigative outlet, as well as journalists at CNN and the Financial Times.

Some of the measures concern Putin himself. He has spent several weeks at a time in upgraded bunkers — in Krasnodar Krai in particular — while Russian state media continues to air pre-recorded video footage of his activities. The locations he visits have been sharply reduced: neither he nor his family has traveled to residences in the Moscow region or at Valdai, and he has made no visits to any military facilities in 2026, though such visits were routine the previous year.

Other measures target the staff who work directly with Putin. Surveillance systems have been installed in the homes of employees in his inner circle. Chefs, bodyguards, and photographers who work with the president are banned from using public transportation and must pass two levels of screening at Russia’s Presidential Administration, including a search by the FSO. Staff working in close proximity to Putin are permitted to use only phones without internet access.

The tightened security also includes large-scale sweeps that FSO officers now conduct with canine units. Officers have been deployed along the Moskva River to respond to possible drone attacks. Communications networks in certain parts of Moscow are periodically shut down over security concerns, iStories reported. The FSO also monitors and approves any informational or media publications involving Putin, relying on a classified presidential decree, the journalists said.

Some of the measures were introduced after the killing of Lieutenant General Fanil Sarvarov, who headed the operational training directorate of the Russian Armed Forces General Staff. In December 2025, Sarvarov’s car was blown up in a parking lot near his Moscow home. Discussion of the killing triggered a conflict among security service representatives, according to the European intelligence report.

The report describes a meeting of security officials that Putin convened on December 25 — three days after Sarvarov’s killing — at which representatives of the security services were, as iStories writes, “shifting responsibility onto one another for shortcomings in the security system.”

Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov sharply criticized FSB Director Alexander Bortnikov for failing to prevent attacks that were causing fear and disorganization in the ranks of Russian troops. Bortnikov complained about a lack of resources and personnel and reproached the Defense Minister for the absence within his ministry of a special unit responsible for the physical protection of senior leadership. Rosgvardiya Director Viktor Zolotov also took part, insisting that his resources could not be allocated to protecting Defense Ministry officers.

Putin called on the participants to remain calm, proposed changing the format of the discussion, and instructed them to present specific solutions within a week. After the meeting, Putin met with FSO Director Dmitry Kochev. That meeting produced a decision to expand the list of individuals under enhanced protection: 10 senior generals were added, including three deputy chiefs of the General Staff.

The European intelligence report notes that the conflict at the security services meeting points to growing tension in the Kremlin against the backdrop of internal and external problems.

Since the beginning of March, according to the European intelligence service, Putin has been concerned about the leaking of sensitive information and the risk of a conspiracy or coup attempt. He fears in particular the use of drones for a possible assassination attempt by Russia’s political elite. Former Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, who has held the post of Security Council secretary since May 2024, is regarded as a “potential destabilizing factor” and is said to have “retained significant influence in the senior military command.”

In early March 2026, former First Deputy Defense Minister Ruslan Tsalikov was arrested in Moscow on suspicion of creating a criminal organization, money laundering, embezzlement, and bribery. The European intelligence report characterizes the arrest as a violation of the informal security guarantees for elites — one that weakens Shoigu’s position and raises the likelihood that he himself could face criminal prosecution. The report provides no evidence for the claims made regarding Shoigu, CNN noted, adding that the nature of such information makes some details difficult to verify.

CNN sought comment from the Kremlin but had not received a response at the time of publication.