Putin’s Paranoia: A Russian Praetorian Guard

Russian President Vladimir Putin made waves on April 5 after announcing the creation of a new National Guard, intended to replace the nation’s riot police unit (OMON) and the special forces unit (SOBR). According to Radio Free Europe, the new National Guard will be made up of roughly 180,000 soldiers recruited from the Interior Ministry, the Federal Drug Control Service, and the Federal Migration Service. The force may be additionally augmented with the addition of heavy armaments and tanks. The Guard will be led by Viktor Zolokov, Putin’s former head bodyguard, effectively placing the National Guard directly under the control of Putin. The BBC reports that Putin claims that the force will be used to counter terrorism and crime in Russia; however, members of the opposition see the creation of the National Guard as a step towards suppressing political dissent. Elena Slabunova, head of the opposition Liberal Yabloko party, claims that the National Guard will be used by the Russian political elite "to protect themselves from protests.” Others have accused Putin of intending to shut down possible political dissent before the September parliamentary elections.

Another viewpoint comes from Nikolay Petrov of the European Council on Foreign Relations, who argues that Putin’s actions are meant to balance out the power gains of the siloviki, or Russian military elites. Petrov claims that the establishment of the National Guard is a power play by Putin to create a group that can suppress dissent among elites as well as among citizens, thereby restraining the military elites from interfering in Putin’s goals. Therefore, the force of the National Guard would allow Putin not only to suppress the public, but also to cow his political rivals into submission.

Regardless of his original intentions, Putin’s formation of the National Guard serves to further consolidate his power. It has also demonstrated Putin’s continued movement towards overt dictatorship.