Russian President Vladimir Putin surrounds himself with personal guards who possess extraordinary abilities, equipped with bulletproof vests and high-powered pistols, tasting his food and even monitoring his breaths. This is all aimed at protecting the Kremlin leader from potential assassins and coup plotters. The recent threats against Putin have highlighted the intensity of his security, the latest being on Thursday, when U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham called for his assassination, according to the New York Post.
Putin, a former KGB officer, seems to be obsessed with his security and health, protecting himself from assassins and avoiding contracting COVID-19 at all costs, as evidenced by the social distancing he maintains when meeting other heads of state and officials. Recent images show him meeting world leaders and even his advisors while ensuring a significant distance of at least 20 feet between them during meetings.
He also wore a full protective suit with a full-face respirator before visiting a hospital for COVID-19 patients in Moscow in April 2020. Putin's personal guards, referred to as "knights," belong to a special unit within the Russian Federal Protective Service (FSO), which traces its roots back to 1881, when Tsar Alexander III surrounded himself with guards after his father was assassinated with bombs, according to The Economist.
In parallel, the government-affiliated site "Beyond Russia" reported that Putin's personal guards are chosen for specific traits including "psychology," physical endurance, and the ability to withstand cold and refrain from sweating in heat. They are equipped with special bags that serve as shields to protect Putin and carry Russian-made Vektor pistols in 9mm caliber loaded with armor-piercing rounds.
Before traveling anywhere, Putin's advanced teams scout the destination months in advance to gauge public response and assess if the area might be affected by bad weather or natural disasters. They also examine his accommodation, install jamming devices to prevent remote bomb detonations, and have technicians monitor mobile phones and other devices in the area.
On the road, Putin travels in the midst of a convoy of heavy armored vehicles carrying specially armed military operators with AK-47 rifles, anti-tank grenade launchers, and shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles. He is protected by four layers of security when in public, starting with his personal guards and others hiding in the crowd, all constantly surveying the environment, including snipers positioned on the rooftops of surrounding buildings.
In 2018, one of the personal guards intervened when famed Irish fighter Conor McGregor put his arm around Putin’s shoulders while they stood before cameras at the FIFA World Cup in Moscow. Video footage posted on YouTube showed the guard briefly adjusting McGregor’s position with a steel gaze and a gesture to stop, prompting the fighter to quickly remove his arm and fold his hands together.
Additionally, the Federal Security Service has extensive authority to conduct its operations and investigations, including electronic eavesdropping, opening mail, searching homes, seizing vehicles, detaining suspects, and interrogating them.
As guards retire upon reaching the age of thirty-five, they may be rewarded with new positions such as regional governors, federal ministers, special service leaders, and presidential administrators. Similarly, there is a person who tastes every meal prepared for Putin to ensure he is not poisoned, according to "Club des Chefs des Chefs," a culinary organization whose members cook for heads of state and royalty worldwide.
Gil Bragard told the Telegraph in 2012 that tasters still exist in the Kremlin, where a doctor inspects every dish alongside the chef.
