Russian President Vladimir Putin has reportedly intensified personal security measures amid growing fear of assassination attempts, according to a leaked European intelligence report cited by CNN, which claims the Kremlin leader is spending weeks inside a fortified underground bunker in the Krasnodar region while restricting access to his closest staff.

The Russian leader used his annual speech to justify his so-called special military operation in Ukraine.

The event, shrunken because of security fears, adds to a sense that Moscow and other Russian cities can no longer be insulated from the war.

Vladimir Putin has banned officials from wearing watches during one-on-one Kremlin meetings, reportedly fearing a James Bond-style assassination attempt, amid reported coup plot concerns and tightened

In recent months, the normally placid waters of Russian politics have been marked by the appearance of small but noticeable ripples—not yet indicators that Vladimir Putin’s hold on power is in immediate danger but that the war in Ukraine is beginning ...