When thinking of Vladimir Putin’s personal protective measures, some folks might imagine him sitting at one end of a super long table, as he’s taken to doing. Others might think of food tasters (to avoid food poisoning) and body doubles. All those things are apparently true, but they aren’t related to the duties of Putin’s bodyguards, who have one, ultimate, simple task: Protect Putin’s body.
To do so, Putin’s bodyguards — the Musketeers — have to meet some pretty stringent physical requirements. They’ve got to be between 5 foot, 9 inches and 6 foot, 3 inches tall and weigh between 165 and 198 pounds. While height can’t exactly change, weight can, which means Putin’s bodyguards have to stay in shape. Each guard is also relieved from his duties once he hits his 35th birthday.
As far as on-the-job duties are concerned, Putin’s bodyguards have to wear the same suits and ties in any weather, from frigid to boiling. The rationale, according to Russia Beyond, is that thicker, heavier clothing impedes movement and might make it harder for guards to react in emergency situations. And speaking of clothing, bodyguards are supposed to be so resistant to the elements that they don’t sweat. Reports indicate that they sometimes take some sort of drug that somehow helps them in this regard, although we don’t have any details. Nicotine in cigarette form is an okay drug to take, too, provided it’s off-hours and not on the job or during training.
