Jens Asbjørn Bøgen
The Russian military leadership is allegedly blaming each other for the lack of security.
A European Union intelligence report has revealed deep divisions among Russia’s highest security officials, CNN, the Financial Times, and Vazhnye Istorii (Important Stories) report.
The friction centers on assassination attempts targeting senior military commanders away from the front lines. These security breaches came to a head during a crucial meeting in December 2025.
According to the intelligence, Russian President Vladimir Putin had to intervene when an argument broke out between Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov, FSB Director Alexander Bortnikov, and National Guard head Viktor Zolotov.
Shifting the blame
The report states that the three leaders argued fiercely over responsibility for the security failures:
Gerasimov criticized the intelligence agencies for missing the attacks, noting a shortage of personnel to protect officers.
Bortnikov argued that it was impossible to prevent every attack. The FSB chief pointed out that the Defense Ministry lacked a dedicated close-protection unit, unlike other state security branches.
Zolotov added that his forces could not be spared to guard military personnel. He then offered operational security advice to the Defense Ministry, a move that reportedly left Gerasimov furious.
A close call
The intelligence suggests that Putin ordered the Federal Protective Service to guard Gerasimov and ten other senior defense officials. The urgency was highlighted by a recent high-profile attack in the capital.
On February 6, an unidentified shooter targeted Russian Defense Ministry Lieutenant General Vladimir Alekseyev in Moscow. The general survived but was left in intensive care.
Russian investigators blamed the Security Service of Ukraine, claiming they arrested two suspects who confessed. However, Ukrainian officials firmly denied any connection to the shooting.
Assassinations increasing
In December 2025, a Russian general was killed by a car bomb in Moscow, Reuters reported at the time.
It was the latest in a series of assassinations and attempted assassinations conducted on Russian soil or Russian-controlled territory since the beginning of the war in Ukraine.
Including the car bomb in December, Reuters managed to find at least nine assassinations, of which seven were carried out using some kind of explosives.
Sources: CNN, The Financial Times, Important Stories, Reuters
