Anti-Putin Conspiracy: The Regime Has Begun to Eat Itself 

The cracks and divisions within the power structure are growing rapidly, fueling the Russian leader’s unprecedented paranoia. Kremlin apologists continue to work to create the illusion of stability, but the world’s leading media and intelligence agencies paint a picture of a regime that has begun to eat itself. The very pact of the elite has been called into question. 

The point of no return was the arrest of Ruslan Calikov on March 5, 2026. For the Russian political system, this event had the effect of a time bomb. After all, Calikov is not just an ordinary official, he has been Sergei Shoigu’s “right-hand man” and confidant for the past 30 years. The indictment against him, charging him with organizing a criminal community and embezzlement, was a clear signal: there are no more untouchables. 

As the Financial Times analysts emphasize, Putin has arbitrarily and officially broken the unwritten social contract with the elites. For decades, loyalty has been exchanged for security and the right to corruption. 

Now, with the "SVO" at a standstill and the economy bursting at the seams, the aging dictator is looking for blame among his own people. The weakening of Sergei Shoigu's position, by destroying his inner circle, puts the Secretary of the Security Council himself under direct attack, depriving him of resources and protection. 

Based on the above, according to a report by European intelligence services, which CNN has obtained, the likelihood of a coup in Russia has reached its maximum in recent decades. EU intelligence services indicate that Shoigu, despite his formal demotion, retains enormous influence in the military environment and among security forces dissatisfied with how they are being turned into "scapegoats". 

Western publications such as Le Monde and the German Spiegel note that Putin no longer trusts even his closest entourage. This is confirmed by security measures that look like a dystopian scenario. 

A system of total control by the FSO has been created. Security service officers are now checking even Putin’s chefs and photographers, who are banned from using public transport. 

Russia is in a frenzy of digital isolation measures. Major internet outages in Moscow, recorded in March and April, are linked to the Kremlin’s attempts to stop the conspirators’ coordination. 

Putin himself seems to have fled underground and has practically stopped appearing in Moscow, preferring to live in deeply modernized bunkers in the Krasnodar Territory. 

The tragedy of the Putin regime is that its attempts to defend itself are only hastening the sad outcome. By intensifying repression against its own generals, Putin is pushing the elites towards the only logical way out, namely, the physical elimination of the source of the threat. As German observers write, “Putin’s fear of drones on May 9 is just the tip of the iceberg; in reality, he is afraid of being stabbed in the back by whoever is standing with him at the podium today.” 

The arrest of Calikov and the persecution of Sergei Shoigu's team have created a situation in which the military leadership essentially has no choice. Either they will be next on the list for landing, or they will try to seize power. European intelligence services are directly warning: the purge of the "Shoigu clan" has deprived the system of balance. 

On the eve of May 9, 2026, Russia seems like a country where the president is afraid of his own parade. Putin's paranoia has turned the Kremlin into a besieged fortress, where every ally is a potential traitor in the eyes of the dictator, and every proposal for a "truce" looks like a desperate attempt by an underground dictator to buy himself a little more time. History teaches that regimes built on complete distrust collapse precisely when their creator begins to believe that he has outsmarted everyone. 

Looking at the windows of a house on the street, pierced by a Ukrainian drone, Mosfilmovskaya and reinforced FSO patrols, it becomes obvious that the finale of the play for the people has already been written. Only one question remains: who from Putin's entourage will dare to lead the long-awaited speech.