"Vladimir Putin has ordered senior officials attending one-on-one meetings with him to remove their wristwatches, in the latest sign of heightened security concerns inside the Kremlin. According to reports from numerous Russian media outlets, visiting governors and executives have been seen entering meetings without their watches, despite normally wearing them in public, suggesting a tightening of informal security protocols around the Russian president."
"The measure is believed to extend an existing ban on mobile phones, with officials now allegedly required to surrender both electronic and mechanical devices before entering private audiences with Mr Putin. A source cited by the We Can Explain news outlet said the restrictions were introduced in mid-April as part of a broader "security requirement"."
""Phones have long been banned, and now watches have been added to the restrictions - both electronic and mechanical," the source said. The apparent policy has fuelled speculation over the Kremlin's internal climate, with suggestions that Mr Putin is increasingly concerned about assassination attempts or internal plots. Some reports have pointed to fears of instability within Russia's political and security elite, although such claims remain unverified."
"Recent televised meetings appear to support claims of unusual restrictions. Regional governors, including Yevgeny Pervyshov of the Tambov region and Artyom Zdunov of Mordovia, were seen without wristwatches during audiences with the president, despite wearing them in other official settings. In another case, KamAZ chief Sergey Kogogin was reportedly observed without a watch during a meeting with Mr Putin, though he had previously worn one in a separate session with Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin."
Vladimir Putin has ordered senior officials attending one-on-one meetings to remove their wristwatches before entering. Russian media reports show visiting governors and executives arriving without watches, even though they normally wear them in public. The change is believed to build on an existing ban on mobile phones, with officials required to surrender both electronic and mechanical devices before private audiences. Restrictions were introduced in mid-April as part of a broader security requirement. Reports cite examples from televised meetings where regional governors and a major industrial executive appeared without wristwatches during audiences with Putin, despite wearing them in other official settings. The policy has led to speculation about heightened concerns over assassination attempts or internal plots, though claims remain unverified.
#kremlin-security #vladimir-putin #surveillance-restrictions #russian-politics #assassination-concerns
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