Vladimir Putin has banned top politicians and officials from leaving the country over fears of defections from the Kremlin.
With the Russia's invasion on Ukraine failing to produce results, the President is thought to be concerned by the prospect of anti-war minister or civil servants fleeing to the West.
Rules introduced the Kremlin now mean that senior politicians and officials hoping to cross their own country’s borders must now get approval of Putin’s prime minister Mikhail Mishustin.
The UK's Ministry of Defence says the new rules are "likely designed to prevent the flight or defection of increasingly disaffected officials".
Putin’s prime minister Mikhail Mishustin must sign off on all trips abroad
|Reuters
Alexandra Prokopenko, who was employed by Russia's central bank before he quit and fled Moscow, has also made similar claims.
He told Carnegie Politika: "Some civil servants and employees of state corporations were ordered to hand in their passports, and officials and state company employees at both federal and regional levels were barred from leaving Russia.
"Before the war, such restrictions only applied to military personnel, those working for the security services, and civil servants with full access to classified information."
Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov admitted that "stricter rules" has bee introduced because of the "social military operation" in Ukraine.
Russia is also looking to strengthen terrorism laws
|Reuters
The Kremlin refers to the invasion of its enough during country as a "social military operation" in order to avoid calling it a war.
Amid the growing frustration in Russia at the slow progress made in taking over Ukraine, legislators in Moscow this week also proposed tougher sentences for those convicted of terrorism, high treason and sabotage.
The maximum sentence for carrying out "a terrorist act" - defined as a deed which endangered lives and was aimed at destabilizing Russia - would be raised to 20 years, from 15 years at present.
Those found guilty of sabotage could also go to jail for 20 years, up from 15, while people convicted of "international terrorism" could be sentenced to life, up from 12 years.
The proposed changes were outlined by Vasily Piskaryov, head of the committee on security and anti-corruption in the State Duma or lower chamber of parliament.
Putin and other senior officials regularly accuse Ukraine and the West of wanting to undermine and dismember Russia.
Authorities have cracked down on dissent since the war started in February 2022.