Kathrine Frich
The threat of foreign drones is only part of the problem.
Leaders who hold absolute power often end up living in very small worlds.
When the threat of danger creeps closer to home, the grandest palaces can quickly start to feel like heavily guarded prisons.
Paranoia has a way of changing how a person moves through daily life.
Hiding from the world
The Russian president is reportedly shrinking his public footprint. Vladimir Putin now keeps his exact location and travel routes a closely guarded secret.
These heightened security measures follow a series of successful strikes on targets deep inside Russian territory. Meanwhile, Ukrainian special forces have stepped up their operations over the past year.
Speaking with the Ukrainian television channel “24” and cited by LA.lv, Army General Mykola Malomuzh shared his analysis. The former Ukrainian intelligence chief shed light on the extreme steps the Kremlin leader is taking.
Fear of inside attacks
The threat of foreign drones is only part of the problem. Malomuzh claims the Russian dictator is equally terrified of an inside job originating from his own security apparatus.
“Putin limits his trips around Russia in all situations because he is not sure that even betrayal by the special services will not occur,” said Malomuzh.
That deep distrust has forced the president into intense isolation. He has reportedly cut his inner circle down to just two or three trusted individuals who maintain constant contact with him.
Mirrors and body doubles
Viewers watching state television might think they know exactly where the president is sitting. But intelligence experts suggest that broadcast is often a carefully constructed illusion.
Malomuzh told reporters that multiple presidential residences feature identical rooms. “So that the specific place and object cannot be identified, the same interiors are deliberately created there, the same door handles and other elements are used,” the general explained.
Security teams also rely on physical decoys to manage risk during crowded events. “The second component is the use of peers. Especially in public events, they are definitely involved, and this mechanism works,” said Malomuzh, referring to the alleged use of body doubles.
Despite these extreme safety measures, the former spy chief noted that Putin still attends major strategic meetings in person.
