Bodyguards follow Putin closely during foreign trips

Security measures are extremely thorough and strict for every step of the Russian president.

FSO forces protect Mr. Putin during his visit to Austria in 2014. Photo: RBTH.

In order to ensure absolute safety for Russian President Vladimir Putin on each foreign trip, the security process to protect him is planned and prepared very early with a large amount of work, according to Sputnik.

The main task of protecting Mr. Putin is entrusted to the Federal Protective Service (FSO), a unit that originated from the Soviet-era KGB.

According to Aleksandr Korzakov, former commander of President Boris Yeltsin's security force, the FSO currently has about 50,000 agents, four times more than before Mr. Putin became president.

In Russia, the FSO has great power, can conduct investigations, wiretapping, mail searches, arrests, searches of residences, requisitions of cars... without a warrant from a court or prosecutor.

On every foreign trip, the FSO bodyguards always follow the President closely. With the naked eye, they identify and control the locations where threats may appear. The briefcases they carry are not ordinary ones, but are armored, ready to protect Mr. Putin in case of a surprise attack.

FSO bodyguards are responsible for protecting the President's life at all costs, even sacrificing their own lives. To carry out such an important mission, all FSO agents are required to keep information about themselves secret.

In fact, Muscovite Dmitry Kochnev, the current head of the FSO, is known as a “man without a background,” since no information about him appears on the Kremlin or FSO web portals.

The main weapon of the FSO members is the Serdyukov pistol, known as the CR-1. This is an armor-piercing pistol that uses 9 mm bullets, manufactured entirely in Russia and is considered one of the most modern guns in the world. Even an ordinary person using this gun can achieve outstanding accuracy.

FSO members always follow Mr. Putin like a shadow. Photo: RBTH.

Putin's outer security FSO team is equipped with AK-47s, AKS-74Us and Dragunov sniper rifles, and in many cases also RPK machine guns, grenade launchers and shoulder-fired missiles.

Before each of Mr. Putin's trips, Russia's top security experts will analyze all information related to the area Mr. Putin will visit, such as the economic and political situation, crime, the appearance of terrorist groups and religious movements.

Then, an advance security team consisting of officers from the Federal Security Service (FSB) and the Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) will arrive about a month in advance. They will thoroughly inspect the hotel where the President will stay, and a separate elevator will be set up for the Kremlin chief.

This team will replace all personal items and fruit in the President's room with products certified safe by the Kremlin. The staff serving Mr. Putin at the hotel such as chefs, cleaning staff, and housekeeping are often employees from Russia under the mobilization of the FSB. His food is also thoroughly checked before the meal begins.

After processing the information, all threats, risks, and contingency measures will be assessed. The advance security team also coordinates with local police to carefully study the locations of presidential activities such as speeches and meetings to anticipate any dangerous situations.

According to VNE