Russian President Vladimir Putin is reaching out to family members to fill critical positions inside the country’s military establishment.
British military officials confirmed Wednesday that he appointed his cousin, who doesn’t have a military background, to the position of state secretary of the Ministry of Defense.
In her new job, Anna Tsivileva will be responsible for coordinating the Ministry of Defense’s relationship with Russia’s Legislature and other government agencies.
Ms. Tsivileva, who is married to Russian Energy Minister Sergei Tsivileva, trained as a psychiatrist before becoming involved with several domestic medical supply companies.
Last year, she was appointed head of a “Defenders of the Fatherland” organization that conducts fundraising for Russia’s war against Ukraine, British officials said.
Ms Tsivileva’s original appointment in June 2023 drew muted criticism from the Russian press for the apparent nepotism that tested Russian toleration for political corruption, British officials posted on X.
“There is a realistic possibility that her further elevation is indicative of the increasing insularity of the Russian elite,” UK officials said.
The appointment is the latest move in Mr. Putin’s shakeup of Russian military leadership. In May 2024, he sacked Sergei Shoigu as defense minister in favor of Andrey Belousov, an economist who previously served as the country’s deputy prime minister.
• Mike Glenn can be reached at mglenn@washingtontimes.com.
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