Vladimir Putin, concerned about potential assassination attempts, has prohibited aides from wearing wristwatches during private meetings. The Russian leader, aged 73, has reportedly implemented new security protocols for one-on-one meetings at the Kremlin due to increasing worries about internal threats.
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Vladimir Putin banned wristwatches during his private meetings at the Kremlin.
Reports from various media indicate that individuals attending meetings with Putin are now required to remove both electronic and mechanical watches, in addition to the existing bans on phones, tablets, and laptops. These measures reportedly began in mid-April, as security around the president heightened due to fears of drone attacks, intelligence leaks, and potential coup attempts.
A source quoted by the outlet We Can Explain stated: “Phones have long been banned, and now watches have been added to the restrictions – both electronic and mechanical.”
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Growing Security Fears Grip Kremlin
Officials removed their mechanical and electronic watches before seeing the president.
The absence of watches was noted in recent meetings involving Yevgeny Pervyshov, governor of Russia’s Tambov region, and Artyom Zdunov, head of Mordovia. Typically seen wearing watches in public, both officials attended meetings with Putin without them.
Sergey Kogogin, CEO of KamAZ, was also observed without a watch during a meeting with Putin, though he wore one in a prior discussion with Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin.
Sources familiar with Kremlin security procedures indicate that Putin fears watches could be weaponized or used to track him. Increased suspicion has led to tighter screening before private meetings.
One source noted, “There is a feeling inside the Kremlin that Putin trusts fewer and fewer people. The restrictions are becoming more severe because he genuinely believes there are threats coming from multiple directions, including inside Russia itself.”
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‘Octopussy’ And Spy Movies Fuel Assassination Fears
Putin covered his own wrist during a televised meeting to hide his watch.
Putin’s heightened concerns have drawn parallels to spy films where watches serve as hidden weapons or surveillance devices. Films like Octopussy and GoldenEye, as well as The Man From U.N.C.L.E. and Kingsman, feature gadgets that conceal explosives or tracking devices. Such portrayals have increased Putin’s apprehension that everyday items could be used against him in a spy-style assassination attempt.
Putin is said to have stopped regularly wearing a watch at official events, although he was seen with one during a recent appearance. In a televised meeting, he was observed covering his wrist, leaving viewers unsure if he was wearing a timepiece.
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The Kremlin restricted phones, tablets, and laptops alongside the new watch ban.
The restrictions do not apply to every member of Putin’s inner circle. Sergey Chemezov, head of Rostec and a close associate of Putin from their KGB days, was seen wearing a watch in a recent meeting with the president.
These heightened security measures coincide with broader concerns over drone strikes and political instability amid Russia’s ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Sources report increased worries about intelligence leaks and potential coup attempts since March.
Kremlin critic Mikhail Khodorkovsky noted, “Putin is physically scared for his life because the Ukrainian drones have demonstrated their ability to strike unexpectedly.”
The conflict in Ukraine remains at a stalemate, with intensified drone attacks, significant casualties, and ongoing territorial battles as Western nations continue their support for Kyiv.
