Did you know that the Russian president's bodyguards date back to the czars?
And that President Putin still uses a food taster, like a king?
Keep watching for everything you need to know about his security detail.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is reportedly extremely cautious when it comes to his security
and health.
According to the New York Post, Putin has taken extreme measures to keep from getting
sick during the COVID-19 pandemic, maintaining large distances between himself and anyone
he meets with, including foreign dignitaries and even his own advisors.
Putin also donned a hazmat suit and a full-face respirator while visiting a hospital in 2020.
Putin is also concerned about the threat of assassination attempts and coups.
He is a former KGB agent, so it should come as no surprise when it comes to his own security,
he's got some tricks up his sleeve.
He surrounds himself with bodyguards, who are quick to act if they fear their president
is in danger.
UFC fighter Conor McGregor found out first hand in 2018 when he put his hand on Putin's
shoulder.
According to the Post, Putin's bodyguards are part of the Federal Protective Service.
The special unit calls itself "the Musketeers," and they've been around a long time.
The unit can be traced back to the 19th century, when they were tasked with protecting Czar
Alexander III after the assassination of his father, Alexander II.
That assassination was carried out by a terrorist organization that called itself the People's
Will, whose goal was to overthrow the government.
Alexander II was killed by a bomb on the streets of St. Petersburg, after several failed assassination
attempts in which the People's Will tried to shoot him, derail his train, and blow up
his palace.
So who makes up the Musketeers of today?
They're mostly combat veterans, right?
Actually, that's not Putin's top priority.
A former president's security employee told Russia Beyond, an arm of the Russian state
media,
"It is unlikely that the president's security guard will have to arrange ambushes on mountain
trails or jump with a parachute.
Combat experience is useful, but it's often not applicable in our work.
During war, you attack.
And a bodyguard should only protect the dignitary from someone invisible."
Russia Beyond says former police officers don't quite fit the bill either, since a bodyguard's
work doesn't necessarily involve apprehending would-be attackers.
Their job is to protect the president.
Putin told director Oliver Stone they've done just that.
"In other words, you trust your security, and they've done a great job."
"I trust them."
Potential bodyguards are required to be good at anticipating possible threats, have some
familiarity with politics, and have linguistic skills.
They have to be under 35 years old.
They also must be between about 5 feet, 9 inches and 6 feet, 3 inches tall, and need
to weigh between 165 and 200 pounds.
According to the Post, it's believed that upon reaching age 35, guards are replaced
and often handed jobs elsewhere in the Russian government.
Putin's security detail scouts locations ahead of time.
They run through worst-case scenarios that could play out, sometimes even planning for
hypothetical situations involving natural disasters.
Putin's security detail inspects anywhere he will be staying, including active surveillance
on electronic devices.
They install jamming devices to prevent bombs from being remotely detonated.
According to Russia Beyond, Putin's guards carry 9-millimeter Gurza pistols which can
fire 40 armor-piercing rounds per minute.
Putin's bodyguards are often seen carrying briefcases, which are actually bulletproof
shields.
They've also been seen carrying umbrellas made of Kevlar.
The Post reports that when Putin makes public appearances, he is surrounded by multiple
bands of bodyguards.
There are typically four rings of guards around Putin at any time, including the guards closest
to Putin, who typically wear dark suits, sunglasses and earpieces.
These guards are often seen in a ready position, according to Russia Beyond, in which one of
their hands is raised, prepared to jump into action.
Other members of his security detail are not quite as conspicuous.
Guards stationed further from the Russian president try to blend in with crowds.
There are usually snipers in the area as well.
Putin usually travels in a heavily armed motorcade consisting of armored vehicles, machine guns,
and anti-aircraft missiles.
In 2012, Gilles Bragard, who founded ​​Club des Chefs des Chefs, an organization that
cooks for heads of state, told the Telegraph that food tasters have been used to protect
the president, too.
"Tasters still exist but only in the Kremlin, where a doctor checks every dish with the
chef."
It has also been alleged that Putin has employed the use of body doubles over the years.
According to the Post, Putin admitted in a 2020 interview that he had been offered body
doubles for trips to Chechnya in the early 2000s, but he had declined the offer.
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