Is Putin Hiding in Bunkers as Kremlin Fears Drones, Coups and Assassination?

He was once the iron-fisted strongman who strolled boldly across world stages. Today, according to a bombshell European intelligence report , President Vladimir Putin has not been seen meaningfully in public all year and the Kremlin has allegedly been feeding the world pre-recorded images to fake his presence entirely.

The explosive dossier , obtained by CNN and other outlets from a source close to a European intelligence agency , paints a deeply unsettling picture of a Russian president consumed by paranoia, isolation, and fear , buried deep inside underground bunkers while his empire teeters above him.

According to the report, Putin fears not so much Ukrainian attacks as a conspiracy by Russia's own political elites . He is reportedly considering the very real possibility that an assassination attempt could be carried out against him using drones.

The Kremlin has dramatically increased personal security around Putin, installing surveillance systems in the homes of close staffers. Cooks, bodyguards, and photographers working with the president are banned from public transport , and visitors must be screened twice before approaching him. Those working in close proximity are permitted only phones without internet access.

Putin has not visited a single military facility this year, despite making regular such trips throughout 2025. To maintain the illusion of normalcy, the Kremlin has resorted to releasing pre-recorded images of the Russian leader to the public.

Since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Putin has spent extended periods, often weeks at a time , in upgraded underground bunkers, frequently in the Krasnodar region on the Black Sea coast, often micromanaging the war effort while growing increasingly detached from civilian affairs.

The intelligence report identifies former Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu as a "potential destabilizing actor" , a man once considered among Putin's closest allies, now reportedly associated with coup risk.

The crisis within the Kremlin was dramatically exposed during a heated December 2025 meeting , triggered by the assassination of Lieutenant General Fanil Sarvarov in Moscow. Putin summoned his top security chiefs, where Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov furiously criticized FSB head Alexander Bortnikov for failing to protect senior officers. Bortnikov, in turn, complained of a lack of resources and personnel.

In a telling sign of unprecedented paranoia , no members of the State Duma were invited to this year's May 9 Victory Day parade on Red Square, reportedly to reduce the number of people in close proximity to Putin. The Federal Protective Service has also been granted sweeping powers over information policy, personally approving any media appearances or announcements involving the president.

An FSB officer told reporters that his unit was struggling to obtain wiretapping authorization for criminal investigations because "all the equipment has been redirected to monitor the government and other state bodies."

The picture that emerges is of a man who once projected limitless power , now governing from the shadows of a bunker , trusting almost nobody, and fearing the very elite he built his regime upon.

One irresistible question hangs heavily over Moscow, if Putin is so firmly in control, why is he hiding?

The Kremlin has not commented. But then again, they rarely need to. They'll just release another pre-recorded video instead.