Paranoid Putin activates ‘kill switch’ on his security forces | World | News
Vladimir Putin is restructuring Russia’s internal security apparatus in a move that analysts believe is aimed at protecting his regime from dangers lurking within its ranks.
The developments focus on the placing of two powerful state bodies under the authority of Army General Valery Gerasimov, Chief of the General Staff and Putin’s close ally; This set off alarm bells among those monitoring the Kremlin’s internal dynamics.
National guards placed under military command
The presidential decree transferred military authority over Rosgvardia, the country’s national guard, to Russian military authority. There are also whispers that the MChS may be completely closed down, with personnel withdrawing to the ranks of Rosgvardia.
The net effect would be to leave both organizations firmly in Gerasimov’s hands, said the Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based think tank.
The restructuring is seen as a defensive move by Putin, largely due to Rosgvardia’s poor performance during the armed rebellion of the Wagner Group in June 2023, when the national guard “failed to engage Wagner forces during the Wagner rebellion.”
Prigozhin, who led the rebellion before his death in a suspicious plane crash widely attributed to Kremlin intervention, had sent his fighters north from southern Russia in what he called a “march for justice.”
ISW warns on anti-coup strategy
A report by ISW stated: “Putin established Rosgvardia in 2016 by placing under his direct control some security forces affiliated with the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MVD).
“He probably deliberately defined Rosgvardia’s responsibilities vaguely, giving him direct authority to control protests and protect his regime from a coup.
“Putin may have perceived Rogvardia as an emerging threat to his regime, especially after Rosgvardia’s inadequate response to the rebellion in 2023 and the Rosgvardia leadership’s attempt to exploit the rebellion and Russia’s military failures in Ukraine to expand its authority.
“Rosgvardia’s subordination to the General Staff is also likely a continuation of Putin’s efforts to centralize the irregular forces fighting in Ukraine under the command of the Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD), similar to how the Russian Defense Ministry’s Africa Corps replaced the Wagner Group in the wake of the Wagner mutiny.”
The internal turmoil is hardly surprising to those who follow the Kremlin’s power plays, as Putin’s penchant for paranoia is well documented.
Russia took action to block WhatsApp
The security overhaul coincides with Russia’s latest attempt to cut off its citizens’ access to WhatsApp as part of a sustained campaign to bring the internet under state control.
A WhatsApp spokesperson said late Wednesday that the action by Russian authorities was intended to “redirect users to a state-owned surveillance app.”
“Trying to isolate more than 100 million people from private and secure communications is a step backwards and can only lead to less security for people in Russia,” they added.
“We continue to do what we can to keep people connected.”
Status app sent as backup
The Kremlin is actively promoting its own MAX “super” app as an alternative, but independent observers describe it as a tool for state surveillance.
Facebook and Instagram have been blocked by Russian authorities, along with a number of other online restrictions, following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Meta Platforms, which owns WhatsApp, must bring itself into compliance with Russian law before any ban can be lifted, according to the state-run Tass news agency.
Telegram is also in the plus sign
Communications regulator Roskomnadzor announced new restrictions on Telegram earlier this week, accusing the messaging platform of violating Russian laws.
The announcement drew harsh criticism from military bloggers, who noted that Telegram was a vital communications tool for Russian forces operating in Ukraine and warned that restricting access could seriously disrupt battlefield coordination.
It remains unclear whether an outright ban is being considered. Russian government bodies, including the Kremlin itself, continue to use the platform to issue official statements, and it remains the go-to channel for pro-Kremlin commentators covering the war in Ukraine.
Analysts have warned that cutting off access could disrupt communications both along the front line and across Russian-held territory in Ukraine.
