Vladimir Putin has ordered senior officials attending one-on-one meetings with him to remove their wristwatches, in the latest sign of heightened security concerns inside the Kremlin.
According to reports from numerous Russian media outlets, visiting governors and executives have been seen entering meetings without their watches, despite normally wearing them in public, suggesting a tightening of informal security protocols around the Russian president.
The measure is believed to extend an existing ban on mobile phones, with officials now allegedly required to surrender both electronic and mechanical devices before entering private audiences with Mr Putin.
A source cited by the We Can Explain news outlet said the restrictions were introduced in mid-April as part of a broader “security requirement”.
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“Phones have long been banned, and now watches have been added to the restrictions — both electronic and mechanical,” the source said.
The apparent policy has fuelled speculation over the Kremlin’s internal climate, with suggestions that Mr Putin is increasingly concerned about assassination attempts or internal plots. Some reports have pointed to fears of instability within Russia’s political and security elite, although such claims remain unverified.
Recent televised meetings appear to support claims of unusual restrictions. Regional governors, including Yevgeny Pervyshov of the Tambov region and Artyom Zdunov of Mordovia, were seen without wristwatches during audiences with the president, despite wearing them in other official settings.
In another case, KamAZ chief Sergey Kogogin was reportedly observed without a watch during a meeting with Mr Putin, though he had previously worn one in a separate session with Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin.
Observers say the inconsistencies suggest a highly controlled environment around the Russian leader, where even minor personal items are subject to scrutiny.
The restrictions come amid longstanding concerns over Mr Putin’s personal security, with the Kremlin having already imposed strict limits on electronic devices in the president’s vicinity. Officials are routinely barred from bringing phones, tablets or laptops into meetings.
Speculation in some media reports has also suggested that state media appearances are carefully managed, with questions raised about the transparency of timing and the editing of metadata from official imagery and video.
Mr Putin, a former KGB officer, has long maintained extensive security arrangements and is believed to travel with tightly controlled entourages and carefully vetted officials. However, the reported extension of restrictions to personal items, such as wristwatches, has drawn attention as a sign of growing caution within the Kremlin.
There has been no official confirmation of the reported policy, and Russian authorities have not commented publicly on the claims.
The developments come as Western intelligence assessments continue to highlight heightened sensitivity within the Kremlin over internal stability, amid the ongoing war in Ukraine and persistent speculation about elite divisions, which Moscow has repeatedly denied.
Despite the reports, Mr Putin continues to appear in high-profile public engagements, including meetings with regional leaders and defence officials, with state media presenting an image of continuity and control.
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