Zygar Says Elite Struggle in Russia May Intensify After Elections
In Russia, an aggressor state, the upcoming State Duma elections may intensify rivalry between ruling clans, and after the vote many senior officials may be forced to resign. Russian writer and author of documentary books Mikhail Zygar, who lives in exile, expressed this assessment in an interview with YLE News.
According to him, the outcome of the elections to the lower house of the Russian parliament, which are tightly controlled by the state, is beyond doubt. At the same time, representatives of the elites are awaiting the vote with apprehension. Zygar also noted that rumors are spreading among Russians about a possible announcement of a new mobilization after the elections to make up for personnel shortages in the war against Ukraine.
The writer considers a new partial mobilization at the end of the year likely.
Rumors of Mishustin’s Resignation
Zygar, who, according to YLE News, has contacts in Russian government circles, said that the elite has been discussing the possible resignation of Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin for several months. He headed the Russian government in 2020, replacing Dmitry Medvedev.
In Zygar’s view, after the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Mishustin moved into the background in the Kremlin and tried to distance himself from the war. The writer claims that they want to see a person connected to Russia’s Federal Security Service as prime minister.
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Zygar called the post of head of government the second most important after the president and suggested that Mishustin’s potential successor could later become president. According to him, Vladimir Putin does not seek to directly designate his successor.
Mood in the Russian Elite
The prolonged war against Ukraine, Zygar believes, has intensified the sense of hopelessness among Russia’s top leadership. After the initial shock, the elites adapted to the new conditions, but nervousness and panic are now growing in government circles. Zygar also believes that tension is intensifying rivalry, in particular between the FSB and the presidential administration.
He does not believe in an attempted coup against Putin, explaining that officials in the system were selected primarily for loyalty. According to Zygar, during the full-scale war, only Wagner PMC leader Yevgeny Prigozhin spoke out against Putin, whom he called a person outside the system.
Zygar said that representatives of the Russian elite are already preparing for the period after Putin’s rule. In particular, according to him, many businesspeople do not want to associate themselves with the military industry or supplying goods to the front.
