Kathrine Frich
The circle of trust in Moscow has shrunk to an absolute minimum
When a leader holds total control, the walls around them usually grow taller over time.
Trust becomes a rare commodity in the halls of power. Eventually, a comfortable life transforms into a gilded cage.
Driven into hiding
War changes the people who start it. The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has dramatically altered how the Russian president lives his life. Vladimir Putin is completely stepping back from his usual routine to hide away.
Mykola Malomuzh served as the head of the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine from 2005 to 2010. He recently shared details about the dictator’s extreme precautions with Ukraine’s Channel 24 cited by La.lv. The revelations paint a picture of absolute paranoia.
“His residences, such as Valday, have already been neutralized, and the Sochi residence is already in a state of emergency,” Malomuzh told the network.
The former spy chief explained that the Russian leader deeply fears his own protectors. “He is not sure that there will be no betrayal even from the security services,” Malomuzh added.
Fear of everything
The circle of trust in Moscow has shrunk to an absolute minimum. Malomuzh claims the president now regularly speaks with just two or three trusted aides. For everyone else, they must dial in remotely or attend highly controlled meetings surrounded by guards.
“You see, he’s afraid of everything. He’s afraid of possible assassination attempts, conspiracies, and diseases,” Malomuzh said.
Driven by these deep fears, Putin spends nearly all his time near the capital. The primary presidential compound now features intense security measures that easily outshine the defenses of major cities.
“There are six rings around his residence. Not three, like around Moscow, but six,” Malomuzh stated.
Underground survival plans
Those heavy layers of air defense only cover the surface threats. Beneath the streets, the Kremlin has prepared massive subterranean complexes to ensure regime survival.
“And most importantly, there are bunkers under Moscow, these underground settlements,” the general explained. “They provide him with protection against nuclear strikes even in the event of a direct hit.”
Beyond physical safety, officials carefully guard the leader’s medical profile. State media aggressively scrubs any images that might suggest illness or physical weakness. But that digital shield cannot last forever. Malomuzh believes modern intelligence gathering will eventually bypass the propaganda entirely.
“Even if there is some kind of deception, it will also be exposed,” he predicted. “This will reveal the exact state of his health and clear prospects for the development of this or that disease.”
