Putin increasing number of his personal security guards for fourth time during war
Photo: Russian President Vladimir Putin (Getty Images)
Russian President Vladimir Putin is expanding the size of his security service’s central apparatus for the fourth time since the start of the full-scale war, according to Vyorstka.
The corresponding draft decree was published on a Russian legal acts portal. The document is set to come into force on July 1.
According to the text, the maximum number of military personnel and civilian employees in the central apparatus of the Federal Protective Service (FSO) will increase from 785 to 812 people. The main task of this agency is the personal protection of the President of the Russian Federation, members of his family, and the Prime Minister.
Before the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia’s leadership did not expand the central apparatus of the FSO for almost 13 years. The previous changes were made in March 2010, after which the number remained unchanged for a long time.
During the war, decrees on expanding the central apparatus of the FSO were adopted only at the end or beginning of the year.
In particular, on December 31, 2022, Putin increased the agency’s staff from 725 to 760 people. The next expansion took place in January 2024, when he approved two stages of increases: first to 775 people, and then from January 1, 2025, to 785 employees.
Earlier, Putin claimed that Ukrainian forces were allegedly "encircled" in the Stary Oskol area. However, in his statement, he confused the Oskil River with the city of Stary Oskol, which is located in Russia’s Belgorod region.
Analysts from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) also noted that he deliberately creates a false impression of Russian military successes and exaggerates Ukrainian losses and setbacks. According to experts, the Kremlin uses this to justify the continuation of the war and reinforce its narratives.
