Russian President Vladimir Putin's fear for his life has reached new depths—literally.
According to Vitaly Brizhaty, a defected former member of Putin's protection service, the Russian leader has deployed armed divers to patrol the waters around his private beaches.
These divers are on a mission to identify and neutralize potential assassins, highlighting the extent of Putin's paranoia.
Brizhaty, who once worked for Russia's Federal Protection Service, fled to Ecuador following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. In a recent interview with independent Russian outlet TV Rain, he shed light on Putin's extreme security measures.
His insights have been translated and reported by The Telegraph.
But the underwater security is just the tip of the iceberg. Brizhaty revealed that Putin's mistrust even extends to his own bodyguards. One of them is employed as a washing machine operator at a palace in Russian-annexed Crimea.
Brizhaty, who was stationed at one of Putin's undisclosed properties in Crimea, described it as a "fantasy place" and a "mini-city."
He revealed that Putin often misleads his own guards about his whereabouts, adding another layer to his elaborate security setup.
Putin's paranoia doesn't stop at employing armed divers or misleading his guards.
According to Brizhaty, the Russian President often disseminates false information to his own security team. "People were told, 'he's resting at the dacha,' and everybody is running around guarding him, but he could be in another place altogether," Brizhaty explained.
