According to a European intelligence report leaked to CNN, Financial Times, and iStories, Putin has retreated to bunkers in the Krasnodar region, where he may work for weeks. He no longer visits his usual residences in Novo-Ogaryovo and Valdai, and has not visited military infrastructure in 2026, unlike previous years. The report states that Putin fears assassination by drone or a coup attempt from within the Russian elite.
Specific security measures include enhanced screening for visitors to the Presidential Administration, who undergo two levels of screening including a full body search by FSO officers. Mobile internet is frequently cut off in Russia as a security measure, according to multiple reports. Radio Liberty research indicates that Putin's Valdai palace is now protected by 27 air defence systems, up from 7 in 2024, and that he has spent over £1 billion on missile defences for his Valdai residence. According to We Can Explain news outlet, Putin insists officials surrender their wristwatches before one-on-one meetings.
Phones have long been banned, and now watches have been added to the restrictions — both electronic and mechanical.
Proekt and Agentsvo report that Putin is sealing off a large section of Sochi for a rebuilt seaside palace with new underground bunkers. Multiple reports indicate that his partner Alina Kabaeva and their two sons live with him. Putin's media appearances are often pre-recorded, according to three media sources.
The European intelligence report links former Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu to the risk of a coup attempt. However, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov denied coup fears, attributing security measures to Ukrainian threats. When asked about the report, Peskov said he was not aware of the existence of 'European intelligence' as a single entity.
A Putin acquaintance confirmed to Proekt that the president is truly afraid to fly south.
Some analysts suggest the leaked report may be intended to send a message to Putin to step back from the war. According to Aftonbladet, commentator Andrej Pertsev described the message as: 'Your throne is slipping away. You know why. Stop the war.' The Institute for the Study of War has observed corroborating evidence of enhanced security around Putin's residences.
The contradictions between the Kremlin's official explanation and the intelligence report raise questions about internal stability. Disagreement also exists on whether Shoigu is a key figure in coup fears, affecting understanding of elite dynamics. The Kremlin's denial of the report's existence undermines trust in the intelligence claims.
Your throne is slipping away. You know why. Stop the war.
Unknowns remain: which European Union country provided the intelligence report, the exact nature and credibility of evidence for a coup plot, how widespread elite dissatisfaction is, what specific Ukrainian threats prompted the clampdown, and whether the reported security measures are confirmed by independent sources.