Reports suggest that Russian President Vladimir Putin is consolidating his power by integrating younger supporters into his administration as unrest within the Kremlin grows due to an aging leadership. With over 20 years in power, the 73-year-old Putin is facing increasing domestic and international pressure, which some analysts believe is leaving him with fewer options.
The Federal Security Service (FSB) has reportedly initiated criminal investigations against exiled businessman Mikhail Khodorkovsky and members of the Russian Anti-War Committee, alleging they plotted to take over the government. Khodorkovsky previously spent a decade in a Siberian prison before founding the anti-war committee in 2022.
“The Kremlin is in a state of paranoia,” stated John Herbst, a senior director at the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center and former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, during an interview with British media.
Henry Hale, a political science professor at George Washington University, mentioned that young allies are being strategically nurtured within the regime. He noted that concerns are rising around what might unfold as Putin ages, citing that if younger generations are not given societal opportunities, it could lead to unrest.
Among the new figures rising within this circle is Anna Evgenievna Tsibilyova, a relative of Putin and the head of the Foundation for Defense of the Fatherland, which supports Russian soldiers and veterans. She previously served as the chairman of one of Russia’s largest coal companies.
“The current political landscape is such that older generations are grooming the youth, ensuring they are tightly woven into the power structure,” Hale added. “Should these individuals, who are seen as trustworthy due to their ties to Putin, not receive political openings, it could lead to greater pressure on the regime.”
The Kremlin is also preoccupied with quelling dissent abroad following an attempted uprising in 2023 led by Wagner Group’s Evgeny Prigozhin, which he abruptly ended before his untimely death in a plane crash.
Amid ongoing tensions within the elite, Putin seems to want to eliminate any potential risks. Hale points out that the events of 2023 served as a stark warning to the political elite, indicating that there’s close monitoring among those within his inner circle.
However, the Russian economy is under strain from Western sanctions, declining oil revenues, and the costs of the ongoing war in Ukraine. Reports indicate that the Kremlin might have to resort to increasing taxes or borrowing to stabilize the economy.
Despite these challenges, Hale expressed that Putin’s government appears stable for now, although the inherent uncertainties of war pose significant risks.
