Putin tightens security amid fears of coup and drone assassination attempt
Updated
Updated · OCCRP · May 4
Putin tightens security amid fears of coup and drone assassination attempt
10 articles · Updated · OCCRP · May 4
An EU intelligence report says the Kremlin has been on high alert since early March 2026 and names Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu as a potential destabilising actor.
It says the FSO banned nearby staff from using mobile phones or public transport, installed surveillance in aides' homes, and that Putin and his family stopped visiting residences near Moscow.
The report links the clampdown to war setbacks, economic strain and December's killing of a lieutenant general in Moscow, while Victory Day plans were scaled back and public anger grew over internet shutdowns and prices.
Has Ukraine’s 'shadow war' of drones and assassinations pushed Putin’s regime to the brink of an internal collapse?
As generals die and allies fall, is former minister Shoigu a genuine coup threat or a scapegoat in Putin's power play?
Is Putin's bunker-bound paranoia a sign of masterful control or a dictator's final, desperate attempt to survive?
Inside Putin’s Fortress: How 1.3 Million Military Losses Triggered Russia’s Security Surge and Political Isolation
Overview
Following a series of assassinations of high-ranking Russian generals between 2024 and 2025, the Kremlin's sense of security was deeply shaken, prompting a major security surge in early 2026. This included intensified internal surveillance, reallocation of FSB resources, and enhanced defenses against drone and cyber threats. Amid this crackdown, Sergei Shoigu was demoted and his faction purged, reflecting rising factional rivalries and elite distrust. The ongoing costly war in Ukraine and economic strain fueled elite discontent, leading to a secret coalition aiming to remove Putin. In response, Putin isolated himself in bunkers with strict security, causing governance collapse and widespread communication shutdowns, further destabilizing Russia internally and geopolitically.