What role does Putin play? – Power struggles in Russia’s elite – News

Allegations of corruption and power struggles among the Russian elite are shaking the Kremlin. And this is happening during Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. Numerous top officials have been removed from office, some even arrested. Recently, long-time Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu was demoted.

It was a bombshell when Timur Ivanov was arrested. The deputy defense minister was responsible for the reconstruction of the occupied Ukrainian city of Mariupol, and he was considered a protégé of defense minister Sergei Shoigu. Now the public prosecutor’s office is accusing Ivanov of corruption. He has been in custody since April.

Corruption is largely tolerated in Putin’s system. The extraordinary arrest of Timur Ivanov was above all evidence that the power of his protector Shoigu was crumbling. Other confidants were arrested. Shoigu himself was demoted.

Violent attack on Sergei Shoigu

There has been a fierce attack on Shoigu, says Andrei Pertsev. The journalist has been closely observing the Kremlin elite for years. Shoigu’s opponents took advantage of the fact that Russia’s army was faltering in Ukraine and the supply of equipment and weapons was slow.

The attack came on the one hand from the head of the National Guard, Viktor Solotov, and on the other hand from Sergei Chemezov, the head of the state-owned arms company Rostec. First, people close to Solotov publicly criticized Shoigu, says Pertsev. Shoigu tried to shift the blame for the supply shortages onto Rostec and thus made Chemezov an enemy. Chemezov had to get rid of Shoigu because he made him look bad in front of Putin, says Pertsev. Solotov, for his part, aimed to expand his influence.

Putin plays referee

In the end, Putin decided that things could not continue like this in the Defense Ministry. But the calculations of National Guard chief Solotov at least did not work out. Putin did not nominate one of his men as Shoigu’s successor, but the economist Andrei Belousov, a sober loyalist whom he trusts and who is supposed to clean up the Defense Ministry. And Shoigu was not completely ousted, but relegated to the less influential but prestigious position of Chairman of the Security Council.

Legend:

Vladimir Putin has to play referee for the Kremlin elite.

Keystone/Sergei Bobylev

For decades, Putin has played the role of referee in elite conflicts. These are part of the system and are intended to generate a kind of healthy competition. The fact that Putin punishes Shoigu but still prevents the influence of Shoigu’s opponents from increasing is also a matter of self-protection, says Pertsev.

Competition in the Kremlin is getting fiercer

The Kremlin elite should be understood as a mafia structure with competing clans and networks, he says. Shoigu himself, as a member of the elite’s inner circle, has nothing worse to fear than losing his job. At the same time, Putin is letting Shoigu’s attackers know that he has now drawn a line under it. Putin understands that he could also be affected if these conflicts get out of control, says Pertsev.

With the war, power and money are now concentrated in the military sector. Competition is becoming more intense. The rebellion of Wagner boss Prigozhin and the affair in the Ministry of Defense have shown this. This is unlikely to be the last conflict that Vladimir Putin will have to resolve among his followers.