Russian President Vladimir Putin is reorganizing his internal security forces to thwart future mutiny attempts.
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said Russian police chiefs are considering reassigning "Grom" special units of the Federal Drug Control Service (FDCS) to Rosgvardiya, the country's national guard that reports to Putin.
ISW based its finding on a July 3 report in the Russian outlet Vedomosti that cited internal law enforcement sources.
The greatest challenge to Putin in his more than two decades in power fizzled last month after the rebellious mercenary commander Yevgeny Prigozhin, who ordered his Wagner Group troops to march on Moscow, abruptly reached a deal with the Kremlin to go into exile and sounded the retreat.
The reported reorganization of Russian internal security suggests that the Kremlin remains concerned about the threats of future armed rebellions.
The ISW said the planned reassignment of FDCS personnel came after Putin met with police and security chiefs after the armed uprising by the Wagner Group.
"Several Russian sources spoke out against the reported transfer of 'Grom' to Rosgvardia, citing overall poorer equipment, training, and leadership quality," ISW reported. "Vedomosti claimed that Alexander Khinstein, former adviser to Rosgvardia Head Viktor Zolotov, warned that the assignment of 'Grom' units to Rosgvardia would be a 'dangerous experiment.'"
Nevertheless, the purported changes indicate the Kremlin was dissatisfied with the performance of security forces, which failed to stop or even contest Wagner's march on Moscow.
"Russia watchers largely agree that Rosgvardiya was created to give Putin more direct authority to control protests and possibly to protect him from a coup," the Center for Strategic and International Studies reported in September 2020.
Putin is believed to have launched a search within the military for potential traitors who might have backed the uprising, with Russian general Sergei Surovikin reportedly placed under arrest, according to Business Insider.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine has exposed rifts among Putin's military leaders, with Prigozhin in a series of videos before the rebellion accusing military leaders of botching the invasion.
In exile in Belarus, Prigozhin claimed he did not seek to challenge Putin's authority.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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