Vladimir Putin has spent several months almost entirely confined to fortified bunker complexes in the Kuban region, fearing a coup and drone strikes. This is according to a classified report from the intelligence service of an EU member state.
The document states that an atmosphere of deep paranoia pervades Russia’s highest levels of power. The president’s fear of an internal conspiracy and sudden assassination attempt has led to unprecedented security measures. Russian special services have introduced total surveillance of Putin’s inner circle, including wiretapping, physical surveillance, and regular loyalty checks — even for senior security officials and high-ranking government figures.
The report particularly highlights the growing hostility among the heads of Russia’s security agencies. Competition for influence and access to the president has escalated into open confrontation, already accompanied by a series of mysterious deaths and “accidents” among officials and regional leaders.
European analysts familiar with the report’s contents describe the situation as deeply alarming. “When the leader of a nuclear power is forced to live in a bunker for months, this indicates not only personal fears, but a serious legitimacy crisis for the regime,” a senior EU source said on condition of anonymity.
The report’s findings align with observations from independent OSINT investigators and Russian sources, who have long been tracking Putin’s unusually low public profile and the concentration of his movements in the country’s southern regions.
The Kremlin has traditionally dismissed any reports of problems with the president’s health or security as “Western propaganda disinformation.”