Speculations regarding potential coups and rebellions in Russia have circulated since the onset of the full-scale war. The most recent rumor, stemming from British tabloids, connects internet outages in Moscow to fears of an imminent coup involving figures associated with Sergei Shoigu, a senior Russian security official. However, the claim, initially propagated by the VChK-OGPU channel, is openly labeled as a conspiracy theory, lacking credible evidence and sourced information.

Experts on Russian affairs, including Anton Barbashin, co-founder of Riddle Russia, have thoroughly discredited these coup theories, pointing out that if there were genuine discontent among Russian elites aimed at President Vladimir Putin, such actions would have likely surfaced much earlier. The repeated emergence of these speculations appears to be more about desire than reality, reinforcing the notion that internal upheaval within Russia remains largely within the realm of hope rather than likelihood.

The spread of such unsubstantiated reports highlights the intense public interest in the dynamics of power within Russia amid ongoing military conflicts. Nevertheless, analysts urge caution against interpreting internet disruptions or any isolated events as signs of broader political shifts. As the situation evolves, so too do the narratives surrounding it, meaning that vigilance and critical thinking are necessary in discerning fact from fiction in the tumultuous context of Russian politics.