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Vladimir Putin has merged the Interior Ministry’s Grom special forces unit with the National Guard (Picture: AP/Getty)© Provided by Metro
Russia’s president has restructured his elite forces amid growing fears over the loyalty of the country’s top brass.
Vladimir Putin personally ordered moving the Interior Ministry’s Grom special forces unit under the command of the National Guard, according to reports on Saturday.
The National Guard, headed up by Mr Putin’s former bodyguard, Viktor Zolotov, is roughly 320,000 men strong and answers directly to the Russian president. Its former activities have largely centred on quashing anti-governmental protests.
So Putin now has 320,000 bodyguards. Clearly, he hears the footsteps behind him growing louder.
Russia’s president has restructured his elite forces amid growing fears over the loyalty of the country’s top brass.
Vladimir Putin personally ordered moving the Interior Ministry’s Grom special forces unit under the command of the National Guard, according to reports on Saturday.
The National Guard, headed up by Mr Putin’s former bodyguard, Viktor Zolotov, is roughly 320,000 men strong and answers directly to the Russian president. Its former activities have largely centred on quashing anti-governmental protests.
So Putin now has 320,000 bodyguards. Clearly, he hears the footsteps behind him growing louder.