A few individuals have signaled their dissent from Putin’s decisions, especially after Russia launched a full-fledged war against Ukraine. But their dissent is usually understated and not well publicized. Instead, elites focus on fashioning strategies to survive the coming transition. элитные индивидуалки москвы
Many of these strategies involve forming new state-connected networks that are based on professional training and support from the Kremlin. This approach has proven successful in boosting the ranks of “technocratic elites,” who profess loyalty to Putin but have no direct connection to the siloviki, the group of officials who oversee the security services and military. This group, whose members are often in their forties or older, includes businessmen with a long history of close relations with the state—such as Gennadiy Timchenko, who owns Bank Rossiya; Gleb Frank, son of former transport minister and close Putin ally Sergei Frank; and Igor and Roman Rotenberg, sons of billionaire Arkady Rotenberg.
Our respondents describe how this group operates in various government ministries, including taxation, energy and finance. They are tasked with the job of managing their departments, which they do primarily through their connections to other bureaucrats and the Kremlin. They are not allowed to make decisions on their own, but are told by their superiors what needs to be done and how it should be done. They are like grown-up children, one respondent said: “Putin grew them, raised them, and they just follow what he tells them to do. They don’t decide for themselves, they let Putin make decisions for them.”
Another strategy is to cultivate “anti-Western” propaganda and rebrand Russia as a victim of hostile Western powers. This has boosted the popularity of Putin and, in turn, reinforced his own sense of legitimacy among Russians. But it is not foolproof, and Russia’s war against Ukraine has already shown its limits.
The main factor that keeps the various factions of the elite together is corruption, which provides a yoke that is difficult to escape from. Wealthy patrons help their clients become politically active, give them state positions or award their companies state contracts. In return, the clients offer political loyalty and a cut of the profits. This creates a sense of collective responsibility among the elites that they need to preserve the system.
Putin and his inner circle are gearing up for the next stage of Russia’s development. But it remains unclear what form this will take. If the regime believes that the country can only be saved by a comprehensive modernization program, it will have to open the political space for a number of elite groups that are currently closed off from the process. Otherwise, the regime risks a meltdown of its own system. And that would have profound consequences for Russia and the rest of the world.
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