How real is a coup threat against Russia's president?
Key takeaways
- Increased security around Vladimir Putin and a scaling back of public appearances have given rise to suspicions of a coup or assassination attempt.
- The publication of these reports has divided Russia observers.
- Putin faces falling popularity as Russian economy slowsTo view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
Increased security around Vladimir Putin and a scaling back of public appearances have given rise to suspicions of a coup or assassination attempt. Yet some observers remain skeptical.
https://p.dw.com/p/5DUj VSergei Shoigu (right), a former defense minister, was described as a 'destabilizing actor' in reports about coup fears in Russia Image: Alexander Zemlianichenko/AP Photo/picture alliance Advertisement The Kremlin has radically increased security around Russian president Vladimir Putin, apparently due to growing fears of assassination or a coup. That is according to a report from an unnamed European intelligence agency that was cited by independent Russian investigative media outlet, iStories or Important Stories, as well as US broadcaster CNN and UK newspaper the Financial Times.
The publication of these reports has divided Russia observers. Some believe that such a scenario, including threats to Putin, is likely. Successful operations conducted by the Ukrainian secret service inside and outside of Russia make it believable, they argue. But others think that such a scenario is highly implausible and see the leaked information as another part of an ongoing campaign to destabilize the Russian leadership system.