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Vladimir Putin is said to be increasingly sealing himself off.
Kristina Solovyova/Pool Sputnik Kremlin/AP/dpa
New reports paint a picture of an increasingly isolated Kremlin leader: Vladimir Putin is said to have drastically tightened his security measures for fear of assassination attempts and internal power struggles. But how reliable is this information?
In Vladimir Putin's circle, there are growing indications that the Russian president is becoming increasingly isolated.
As 'CNN' reports, citing a European secret service employee, the Kremlin has significantly tightened the security measures surrounding Putin. According to the report, even close associates such as cooks, photographers and bodyguards are subject to stricter controls. In some cases, they are only allowed to use devices without internet access and surveillance systems have been installed.
Access to the President himself has also been further restricted. Visitors have to go through several security checks and the places where Putin regularly spends time have been greatly reduced.
The Financial Times provides similar assessments. Citing sources close to the Kremlin, it reports that Putin is increasingly spending time in underground facilities and concentrating more on the war. Civilian issues are therefore taking a back seat.
Some of this development is not new. Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, there have been repeated reports of Putin's increasing isolation. Public appearances became rarer and many meetings only took place under strict security conditions.
What is new, however, is the intensity of the measures described.
The reports cite a series of attacks on high-ranking military officers and growing tensions within the Russian elite as the main reasons.
For example, CNN refers to several attacks on generals in recent months. At the same time, a turf war between the military and security services is said to have arisen within the power apparatus.
The intelligence report on which CNN is based also speaks of growing concern about a possible coup d'état. According to the report, Putin is particularly afraid of attacks from within his own ranks - for example through drones or other targeted actions.
Individuals close to him are also mentioned in this context. However, these assessments are particularly sensitive and can hardly be verified independently.
As spectacular as the reports sound: Many details remain difficult to verify.
Neither CNN nor the Financial Times disclose their sources. The information comes from secret service circles or from the Kremlin - in other words, from areas that are naturally difficult to access.
Moreover, even Western media point out that such publications can also be part of strategic communication. CNN, for example, speculates that the targeted dissemination of such information could destabilize the Kremlin.
It has been known for years that Putin attaches great importance to security. The coronavirus pandemic further reinforced this tendency: meetings were often held at long intervals and contacts were severely restricted.
The latest reports now indicate a further escalation of this trend.
