Gleb Karakulov, a captain in the Federal Guard Service, has defected from Russia to Turkey and revealed in an interview that Vladimir Putin is a 'war criminal' and is extremely paranoid about

his personal security, assassination attempts, and health. Karakulov claims that Putin stays 'in his bunker' to avoid assassination attempts and is 'mortally afraid' of Covid, isolating himself for the fourth year. He never uses a mobile phone, fearing that he could be bugged by the West, and instead takes a special communications box with him.

Karakulov, an engineer who worked in the FGS since 2009, had access to Putin's personal communications, according to Dossier independent media, which revealed Karakulov's testimony. Karakulov is said to be the highest-ranking defector so far from Putin's immediate security circle.

Putin's paranoia is also demonstrated by the fact that he rarely makes trips across the country, opting instead to use an armoured train that is camouflaged in grey and red to look like a Russian normal passenger train, making it visually almost indistinguishable from the rest. Karakulov was reportedly responsible for earlier leaks about Putin's armoured train.

The Russian despot's isolation and fear of Covid are understandable given his age and position. Putin is now 71 years old and has been in power for over two decades, making him one of the longest-serving leaders in modern history. His health has been the subject of speculation in recent years, with some observers noting his increasingly frail appearance.

Despite Putin's paranoia, he remains a powerful figure in Russia and has faced little internal opposition in recent years. His invasion of Ukraine has drawn international condemnation and led to economic sanctions against Russia, but Putin remains firmly in control of the country's government and military.

Karakulov's defection is unlikely to have a significant impact on Putin's regime, but it does provide some insight into the workings of the Russian government and the extent of Putin's fears and isolation. The fact that a high-ranking member of Putin's security detail has defected to Turkey is also likely to be seen as a blow to the Kremlin's prestige, although Putin himself is unlikely to be personally affected by the news. Photo by Pavel Kazachkov, Wikimedia commons.