Putin’s world is “distorted” and “full of barriers”. So claims a former officer of his presidential guard. In an interview, the refugee paints a gloomy picture of the autocrat’s condition.
On February 24, 2022, Gleb Karakulov knew he had no future in Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin had just ordered the invasion of Ukraine, and the former Presidential Guard officer knew “it would have been an even greater crime if I had stayed in my job. Not according to Russian law, but according to human discretion,” he said in an interview with the opposition’s file centre.
After months of planning, Karakulov seized his opportunity to leave the country: a professional trip to Kazakhstan. He no longer wanted to serve under a “war criminal.” Karakulov, who was responsible, among other things, for the president’s secure communications, now provides in-depth insights into Vladimir Putin’s “distorted” world.
Only “clean” employees are allowed to approach Putin
Karakulov describes Putin as “extremely isolated”. The Russian president lives in an “information vacuum”. Only a very small part of the secret service would inform him about current events, and Putin also manages without internet and mobile phones.
The autocrat insists “that wherever he is, Russian television can be seen”. Those who approach Putin unsolicited will get into big trouble. The 70-year-old is still very cautious due to the pandemic and is constantly pushing for testing. “We still have a self-isolating president. We had to maintain a strict quarantine for two weeks before each event, even if it only lasted 15 to 20 minutes.”
There would always be a pool of “clean” workers who could be in the same room with Putin. In recent months, photos have repeatedly appeared in which the Russian president keeps guests and interlocutors at a distance. Karakulov, on the other hand, does not confirm speculation about Putin’s possible critical illness: “If he has health problems, they must be due to his age.”
Putin uses a special train to get around. The train “first appeared sometime in 2014 or 2015” in the timetable, hardly differs from ordinary ones and is therefore “difficult to follow”. Putin has several identically decorated offices to hide his whereabouts during TV appearances.
Karakulov: Putin has changed dramatically
Putin has also made drastic changes in recent years. When the former intelligence chief “became prime minister and later president, he was energetic and active.” But now his world consists of “barriers”. And further: “His view of reality is distorted. A reasonable person of the 21st century, who looks objectively at everything that happens in the world, let alone can foresee development at least in the medium term, would not have allowed this war.”
At the end of the interview, Karakulov turns to his colleagues: “What is happening now is completely unacceptable, it defies reason. You must not follow criminal orders and serve this war criminal.”
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
