"Paranoid Putin Orders Officials to Ditch Their Watches in Meetings Over 007-Style Assassination Fears"

A PARANOID Vladimir Putin has forced his own officials to remove their wrist watches after summoning them for one-on-one meetings amid fears of an assassination attempt.

Top functionaries have all been seen without during recent audiences with the Russian dictator.

Putin was seen wearing a watch in a recent meeting despite the new security measure Credit: East2West The Russian despot was in a meeting with Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov when he left his watch on Credit: East2West

Reportedly fearing a James Bond-esque assassination or a coup from within his own regime, 73-year-old Putin has enforced the move under the guise of a “security measure”.

The missing watches were noted in recent discussions with Tambov region governor Yevgeny Pervyshov and the Mordovia governor Artyom Zdunov, as both men normally wear timepieces.

“Phones have long been banned, and now watches have been added to the restrictions — both electronic and mechanical,” a source told We Can Explain.

The measure came into force in “mid-April”, suggesting a significantly increased level of mistrust by Putin for officials he personally appointed.

Multiple local leaders including Mordovia head Artem Zdunov have been seen without their watches Credit: East2West Andrei Ryumin, head of Russia’s national power grid operator Rosseti, has also been seen without his watch Credit: East2West

Sergey Kogogin, head of truck manufacturer KamAZ, was also seen without his watch in Putin’s presence, despite wearing one to a recent meet with Russian premier Mikhail Mushustin.

The Russian despot and former spy, whose secret services specialise in using poison to eliminate enemies, reportedly fears a watch could be used to take him out.

Putin has also recently taken up the habit of not wearing a watch, however was seen sporting the wrist decoration during a meeting with Chechen warlord Ramzan Kadyrov earlier this week.

The move was an “awkward slip up” according to local media.

Officials say Putin fears a James Bond-style assassination attempt Credit: Getty In the Bond film Octopussy, the fictional spy had a Seiko watch with an explosive related function Credit: Alamy

In a strange move, the Russian tyrant spent the entire televised section of the meeting holding his left hand over his right wrist – obscuring the watch face.

The new strict rules do not apply to Putin’s closest pals.

Sergey Chemezov, 73, former KGB spy and head of Rostec defence conglomerate, wore his watch during a recent one-on-one session.

The pair have been friends for four decades.

Putin has become increasingly paranoid, even barring Western media from his recent Victory Day Parade in Red Square Credit: AFP

The new watch rule joins other security requirements, including the veto on phones, tablets and laptops, according to Point Media.

It has also been theorised that the is enforcing the rule to hide the time when meetings are recorded, as Putin’s meetings with officials are pre-recorded.

The lack of watches means that meta data from photos and videos of Putin is removed.

The strange new rule comes as the revealed its secret services are closing ranks around Putin, amid fears for his life.

An anonymous European spy agency has revealed that fears of an internal coup – potentially linked back to former defence minister Sergei Shoigu – was the reason for the increased security clampdown.

Watches have long been a function of cinematic tradition, used as weapons that could be hidden in plain sight.

Reminiscent of famed Octopussy, the fictional character had a Seiko watch with an explosive related function, and in Goldeneye – another Bond movie – a watch was used as a laser device.

In The Man From U.N.C.L.E, spy watches doubled as detonators and poison devices.

British film Kingsman: The Secret Service depicts agents’ watches hiding poison darts and electric shock mechanisms.

Security has been significantly ramped up at the Kremlin after the dictator abandoned his favoured palaces.

He reportedly fears they could become targets for drone from within his own posse.

“Since the beginning of March, the Kremlin and have been concerned about a leak of sensitive information and, at the same time, about the risk of a plot or coup attempt against the Russian president,” a report from Important Stories stated.

“In particular, he fears the use of for a possible assassination attempt by members of the Russian political elite.”

The move followed the Kremlin’s decision to cancel Western media access to Putin’s Victory Day parade in Red Square on Saturday.

An was “physically scared for his life”, which forced the scale back on the flagship parade.

The reclusive tyrant made the humiliating reduction on plans for the over fears of Ukrainian drone strikes and or being “eaten alive” by fed-up opposition.

For the first time in nearly 20 years the parade – which marks the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi in World War Two – will be held without tanks, ballistic missiles or cadets.

The Kremlin has attempted to blame the embarrassing backtrack on a “terrorist threat” from .

But prominent Putin critic Mikhail Khordovsky told The Sun the Russian leader is terrified of being killed.

“Putin is physically scared for his life because the Ukrainian drones have demonstrated their ability to strike unexpectedly,” the businessman said.