He survived coups, dodged drones & outfoxed rivals
VLADIMIR Putin’s grip on power may be weakening as he hides from assassins, elites and his own people – who appear to have been brought down by the ban on social media apps.
Sir William Browder, often referred to as the Russian president’s “number one enemy”, told The Sun that his friend is in his “weakest position” since the start of his term.
In “War Files,” The Sun’s new YouTube show, the US-born British financier revealed how Putin’s desperation to control platforms like Telegram – and massive power outages – could be the final nail in his coffin.
“Right now, Putin is hiding underground in a bunker,” Browder said. “He is so afraid that someone from inside or outside will kill him that he hides underground in a bunker.
“He is not going to his house in Valdai, nor to his house by the Black Sea – he is underground.
“It tells You how desperate the situation has become for him.
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Since April 2026, Russia implemented a controversial measure nationwide on Telegram – aimed at controlling the flow of information – and introduced state-backed rival MAX.
This policy has sparked resistance even among pro-Kremlin circles.
During the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the messaging app was a powerful propaganda tool.
For some time, Pavel Durov – the billionaire Russian émigré and founder of Telegram – has been seen as a defender of free speech. Messiah after promising to adapt to the restrictions and urging people to circumvent the ban with VPNs.
Tensions between the tech entrepreneur and Putin have been growing for more than a decade since his departure Russia in 2014, citing pressure from the FSB.
Familiar with RussiaIn Durov’s war apparatus, Browder doubts the dissident status acquired by Durov.
“If Telegram was such a thorn in their line of sight, why did they allow it to exist and not, for example, WhatsApp or Instagram? said the political activist.
“That’s the first question I would ask about the theory that Durov is an enemy of the Kremlin.”
Browder was once the largest foreign investor in Russia until his lawyer, Sergei Magnitsky, was assassinated in 2009 after uncovering a mass corruption scheme. Since then, his life has been under constant threat.
As for whether or not he has a Telegram account, he said: “It’s run by a Russian who is supposedly an enemy of the regime, who goes back and forth to Russia without any problems.”
“Why should I put myself in that kind of danger?” »
Although wary of Durov and the app, Browder said he understands how the ban and massive power outages — currently seen in Moscow and St. Petersburg — affect Russians.
“We’re starting to see people complaining and saying, ‘Well, actually, we’re making sacrifices. What’s the point? What do we gain from these sacrifices? Why is it in our interest? What’s in it for us?’ he explained the mass mentality.
“The Russian population is extremely cynical. People are crazy because they can’t communicate with them. friends or order a taxi because they cannot use mobile Internet.
“Flights are being canceled because Ukrainian drones are invading Moscow’s airspace. And who is in charge? Putin.”
“This is the first time Russians are starting to realize that this is actually affecting them and that Muscovites can’t just go out and party in the country. Good restaurants and have a good time just ignoring the fact that Ukrainians are being massacred across the border.”
The Sun has previously reported on “Operation Twilight” – an alleged plot to overthrow the dictator due to growing pressure from the war in Ukraine, harsh sanctions and economic decline.
The conspirators are believed to be high-ranking members of the Russian elite, including security officials and business figures.
Browder insists Putin was never afraid of being “rejected.”
Rather, he fears a general uprising or a palace coup coming directly from the elites.
“Russia is led by one man, Putin,” Browder said. “There is no democracy, there is no council of ministers, there are no institutions, just one man.
“He’s not worried about being voted out because there’s no vote in Russia. He’s worried about either a general uprising or a palace coup.
“He must be particularly worried about a palace coup among the elites, because they are the ones who make up the palace… So Putin finds himself in a much weaker position today than at just about any time I can remember since the start of his presidency.” »
He added: “Putin is a dictator, and a dictator can lose his job when the people are unhappy.
“He can kill Alexei Navalny or Boris Nemtsov, but he cannot kill a million people walking on Red Square…
“His great fear has always been that the Russian people – at some point, for reasons he cannot predict – will rise up.”
