In just one month, during the largest purge, about 1,000 employees of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s staff were replaced.
“The president’s fears have grown since the invasion of Ukraine. Putin’s main concern is to be poisoned,” according to British intelligence.
Among those released were security guards, cooks, maids and secretaries.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has been widely condemned by countries around the world and punished with harsh sanctions against Putin and his associated oligarchs.
US and Western agencies have repeatedly warned that Russia is preparing to invade Ukraine through thousands of troops and a large number of equipment concentrated along the common border. The Kremlin denies plans to invade.