The shameful defeat of the Russian army forced Vladimir Putin to reconsider his attitude towards his entourage. The Russian dictator has a limited circle of people on whom he places his hopes.
About thisChannel 24said the Russian opposition politician Gennady Gudkov. According to him, in general, it is difficult to say who from the Russian security bloc is closest to Putin.
As Gudkov noted, General Sergei Surovikin remains one of those whom Vladimir Putin trusts the most. Back in early October, the head of the Kremlin appointed him commander of the combined Russian forces waging war against Ukraine.
Surovikin, fighting against the Ukrainian people, puts his people. It is quite possible that now Gerasimov (Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces – Channel 24) will “hang” – the oppositionist said.
According to the politician, the fact that Valery Gerasimov is losing his positions is the result of an internal struggle between the Russian security forces.
They are not sorry. This is an intraspecific struggle of scoundrels and war criminals among themselves,” Gudkov noted.
The opposition politician suggested that new personnel changes should be expected in the Russian power bloc. However, cardinal changes are unlikely to occur.
“The Russian dictator's priorities are not changing much now.Putin does not have a very large lava of spares,” Gudkov noted.
< h2 class="news-subtitle cke-markup">Vladimir Putin's “favorites”
According to the oppositionist, besides Surovikin, there are still a number of people among Putin's “favorites”:
- Secretary of the Russian Security Council Nikolai Patrushev;
- FSB Director Alexander Bortnikov. However, as Gudkov noted, dissatisfaction with the Federal Security Service has been growing in the Kremlin lately;
- Evgeny Prigozhin, owner of the Wagner PMC. According to the politician, Putin continues to rely on him.
Kadyrov's problems
As the oppositionist said, Ramzan Kadyrov is partially losing his position in the circle of those close to the dictator. Gudkov noted that recently the head of Chechnya has disappeared from the information field.
“Gossip is popping that Kadyrov was running around naked somewhere either under psychotropic or some other drugs. Or he got so drunk degree,” the politician said.
Putin probably quarreled with his “personal banker”
Also, according to Gudkov, lately a black cat ran between the head of the Kremlin and the Kovalchuk brothers.
“I don't know how serious everything is between Putin and the Kovalchuks, especially Yuri Kovalchuk, the closest associate of the dictator,” the oppositionist said.
Who are the Kovalchuk brothers?
Mikhail and Yuri Kovalchuk are Russian oligarchs whom are considered one of the most influential people surrounded by the head of the Kremlin. The younger of the brothers, Yuri, is called Putin's “personal banker” and one of the most ardent supporters of the decision to attack Ukraine.
Gudkov added that Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and President of the state oil company Rosneft Igor Sechin remain in Putin's entourage. /h2>
- Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev received a new position. It was invented by Vladimir Putin himself for his faithful apostate. Now the former leader of Russia will become the first deputy of the military-industrial commission (VPK), headed by Putin himself.
- Evgeny Prigozhin is one of the very few people in Russia who can afford to criticize the general staff of the Russian army. As Ivan Stupak, a former SBU officer and an expert at the Ukrainian Institute for the Future, noted, now for Russia Prigozhin is no longer just a person who manages mercenaries – his figure is much more significant.
- Russian opposition journalist Igor Yakovenko said that he also enters Putin's circle Patriarch Kirill. On the one hand, Putin treats Kirill like his subordinate. But on the other hand, Gundyaev represents the Russian Orthodox Church, which the dictator nevertheless takes into account.
