Putin in Paranoia: Bunker, Mobile Phone Bans, and Fears of a Coup Before the May Parade

Russian President Vladimir Putin is in a state of deep paranoia and has taken drastic measures in connection with mounting security threats. According to a leaked report from European intelligence services, Putin has been staying in bunkers for weeks, isolated from reality and troubled by fears of a possible coup or assassination attempt. The Kremlin leader has banned Kremlin staff from using mobile phones and internet access in order to reduce the risk of espionage. In addition, Kremlin personnel are subject to monitoring at home, indicating the extent of distrust even within his own circle. dennikn.sk ↗

Moscow is intensively preparing for the military parade marking the 81st anniversary of the end of World War II on May 9. The city is building a new "ring of defense" — a dense network of anti-aircraft systems deployed on specialized towers to protect against the threat of Ukrainian drone attacks. The parade itself will be significantly reduced — for the first time in nearly twenty years, it will feature only military infantry without heavy equipment, tanks, and missile systems. The Kremlin justifies this decision by citing terrorism and the threat of Ukrainian attacks, though experts interpret it as a sign of Moscow's weakness. sme.sk ↗

Ukraine is aware of Putin's vulnerability and is using it diplomatically. On Thursday, May 5, President Volodymyr Zelensky declared a unilateral ceasefire beginning at midnight between May 5 and 6, in partial response to Putin's offer to halt fighting on May 8 and 9. However, Russia violated this ceasefire — in the following hours it carried out massive airstrikes on Ukrainian cities, including an alleged attack on a kindergarten, killing at least 27 people. Zelensky condemned the disregard for the ceasefire and accused Moscow of caring only about parades, not about ending the war. irozhlas.cz ↗

Russian military losses, according to the Ukrainians, have reached alarming proportions. Ukraine's Ministry of Defense stated that Russia lost more than 35,000 soldiers in April. At the same time, the country is facing economic difficulties — the Kremlin is abandoning major investment projects, such as the construction of a railway line to Khanty-Mansiysk, which had been promised ten years ago. According to analysts, Putin's elite has retreated into bunkers and has begun rapidly stealing what remains of the regime, signaling a perceived end to its political project. SITA ↗

Internationally, Putin faces isolation. Only two foreign representatives have confirmed attendance at the May parade — Belarusian President Aleksander Lukashenko and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, who plans to travel to Moscow on Friday. Other world leaders who attended the previous year are not coming this time. The Kremlin has also stopped publishing regular surveys of public trust in politicians. ta3.com ↗