President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia is said to work out of identically constructed offices at multiple residences so that photographs don’t reveal his location.
His assistants undergo such a rigorous selection process that a former bodyguard once called them “a caste of chosen people.”And more than three years after the pandemic’s beginning, the Kremlin has continued to enforce a “clean zone” around the president, requiring many who come near him to quarantine for days.
For decades, people who know him say, Mr. Putin has been remarkably focused on his personal security and on preventing rivals from using the powers of government against him.
Now, in the aftermath of last month’s short-lived rebellion led by Yevgeny V. Prigozhin, leader of the Wagner private mercenary group that fought for Russia in Ukraine, Mr. Putin appears to be scrambling to coup-proof his system once more.
Persons:
Vladimir V, Putin, Yevgeny V, Prigozhin, Wagner
Organizations:
Kremlin
Locations:
Russia, Ukraine