President Vladimir Putin is closely accompanied and protected by a select group of personal aides known as adjutants, who remain near him at all times, including during private moments. Recent revelations have shed light on the identities and roles of these individuals, who handle highly sensitive matters for the Russian leader while maintaining a low public profile.
According to Ukrainian open-source intelligence group OSINT Bees, Putin currently employs four adjutants: Alexey Melnikov, Sergey Moskalenko, Konstantin Panin, and Ivan Rozhkov. These men, aged between 38 and 43, were identified through newly obtained documents linked to a Kremlin aide’s email account. Their names had also appeared in a list of possible aides compiled last year by Mikhail Khodorkovsky’s Dossier Centre, a media outlet affiliated with the Russian dissident billionaire.
Photographic evidence places these adjutants alongside Putin at various official venues, including military sites, Crimea, and public events. They have accompanied him on international trips such as a 2023 visit to Abu Dhabi and a trip to China in May 2026. Notably, Ivan Rozhkov appeared in a 2019 video footage escorting Putin into a bathroom in Paris. This incident fueled speculation that the aides perform intimate and secretive tasks, reportedly including collecting biological samples to prevent foreign intelligence from monitoring Putin’s health.
The adjutants are drawn from the Federal Guard Service’s Presidential Protection Unit, which is tasked with maintaining the security of Russia’s highest officials. Former bodyguard Aleksey Dyumin described them as a "select caste" within the broader protective detail, entrusted with responsibilities beyond those of ordinary security officers. Political analyst Mark Galeotti characterized their roles as similar to that of a U.S. president’s “body man,” responsible for managing schedules and confidential affairs.
OSINT Bees emphasizes the extensive access and authority these men have, suggesting they could even isolate or detain the president if required. The group has a history of exposing personal information about prominent Russian military and political figures as part of their stated mission to identify war criminals and aid in accountability efforts.
Despite the detailed information revealed, some experts remain skeptical about the implications. Andrei Soldatov, a specialist in Russian security agencies, acknowledged that the disclosure of personal details about Putin’s aides might unsettle the president but dismissed notions that the adjutants would conspire against him as unrealistic.
The veil of secrecy surrounding Putin’s closest personal staff continues to raise questions about the inner workings of the Kremlin, highlighting the extraordinary level of control exercised around the Russian leader.