Russia’s Federal Protective Service (FSO), the agency responsible for guarding the president, is creating a 3 km² security zone around Vladimir Putin’s Sochi residence, Bocharov Ruchey, a place he has almost stopped visiting since drones began reaching the city.
The restricted area will cover both land and sea, according to a draft order obtained by Agentstvo.
Inside the zone, drones, items that look like weapons, banners, helipads, shooting ranges, and paintball or airsoft clubs will be banned.
Residents will also be barred from keeping animals, repairing vehicles, or dumping trash. Only one spot will be allowed for boats to anchor.
Bocharov Ruchey sits among residential buildings, sanatoriums, and public beaches. The agency is expected to compensate locals affected by the new restrictions.
Before the war, according to Project media investigation, Putin spent about a month a year in Sochi, mostly in the September–November “velvet season,” and traditionally celebrated the birthday of gymnast Alina Kabaeva, the mother of his two sons, there.
Since 2023, as drones began reaching Sochi, Putin sharply cut visits. A Kremlin insider told media he feared for his life. He last visited in fall 2025. Ukrainian attacks on the city have intensified since early 2026.
Security zones have also been established around Putin’s residences near Moscow, in Kaliningrad, and at Valdai, where 12 air defense systems, mainly Pantsir-S1 units, have been deployed.
Earlier reports indicate that a Su-30SM fighter now escorts Putin’s plane on domestic flights, and he has begun wearing a bulletproof vest during outdoor events on intelligence advice.