Putin no longer tells ministers about his plans - criticism is now also coming from the inner circle
Created: 07/10/2022, 19:47
Is it getting lonelier around Putin?
Russian newspaper Meduza reported on Friday that the Kremlin chief had stopped consulting with ministers.
Pictured: Putin at a summit meeting on his birthday.
© IMAGO/Alexei Danichev / SNA
Vladimir Putin is more isolated than at any time since he took office.
A dispute between the Kremlin chief and a member of his inner circle was even mentioned in US President Biden's intelligence report.
MOSCOW - Russian President Vladimir Putin has apparently stopped consulting with his ministers and informing them about his plans.
This emerges from a report in the Russian newspaper
Meduza
on Friday.
It seems to be getting lonely around the president, but the control authorities from outside are also falling as a result in the Ukraine war.
Only a few people are likely to have any influence on the Kremlin boss - and even within his closest circle there is apparently criticism.
Kremlin chief Putin apparently no longer consults with ministers
He only trusts himself, it is said about the Kremlin boss.
As evidence, after the start of the successful Ukrainian counter-offensive, Putin apparently switched to issuing orders directly to the front.
The Russian President had forbidden his generals in Cherson to withdraw - and thus put human lives at risk.
According to the
New York Times
, this caused tensions within the army and further reduced the morale of the Russian troops.
It was announced on Friday that Putin has apparently stopped consulting with his ministers.
The politicians are therefore left in the dark about his plans, the Russian newspaper
Meduza
reported on Friday, citing anonymous sources from government circles.
The Kremlin boss would make all critical decisions alone - after a short conversation with the leadership of the special services and law enforcement agencies.
This used to be different, according to the anonymous source from government circles.
At that time, the head of the Kremlin first listened to suggestions [...] and then selected the suggestion that seemed best to him.
Today, only members of the Security Council of the Russian Federation can influence some of Putin's decisions, the report said.
Putin scared the hell out of everyone.
"But it's fear without respect.
There hasn't been any respect (for him) for a few years," the government official was quoted as saying.
At the same time, this fear apparently also has serious consequences.
Politicians would not dare [...] to argue with Putin and reports would be embellished.
"When Ulyukayev was arrested, everyone understood everything," the pro-government source said, referring to former Russian economy minister Alexei Valentinovich Ulyukayev, who was deposed in 2016 and arrested on alleged corruption charges.
Criticism of Putin comes directly from those closest to him
Even in the innermost circle of the Kremlin boss, criticism is now evident.
A disagreement between Putin and a member of his closest circle was deemed so significant that it was mentioned in US President Joe Biden's daily intelligence briefing.
In recent weeks, the person has approached the Russian president directly and criticized the conduct of the war.
This was reported by the US newspaper
Washington Post
, citing information from the American secret service.
This is the clearest indication of turbulence within the Russian leadership so far.
These new findings underscore the disunity in Putin's leadership.
There, for a long time, people have been reluctant to bring bad news to the autocratic head of state, the report continues.
Putin counts only a few people among his close advisers.
His inner circle consists primarily of colleagues from his days as a KGB officer and people he met while he was deputy mayor of St. Petersburg in the 1990s after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
The Kremlin chief is currently considered more isolated than ever in his 22-year reign.
There also seems to be a change within the management team.
Putin recently appointed the ruler of the Russian region of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, as colonel general in the Ukraine war.
The politician, known as "Putin's bloodhound," had repeatedly criticized the Russian Defense Ministry for failures.
Experts took the promotion as a sign that Putin wanted to make his current Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu a "scapegoat" for the military failures.
