Kathrine Frich
Controlling the narrative is the ultimate goal for any powerful regime.
For years, official channels only broadcast total unity and strength to the public.
But when cracks begin to appear in the armor, the whisper network starts moving faster than the censors can track.
Whispers of change
Rumors about a major power shift are echoing through a very surprising place. Pro-war Russian commentators are openly questioning the strength of their leadership.
According to a report by LA.LV, the highly militaristic Z-blogger community is experiencing a massive wave of internal tension.
Some writers claim that the stalled invasion of Ukraine has shattered the country’s strict power structure.
The conversation has gotten incredibly blunt on platforms like Dialog.ua.
Bloggers are openly debating who will take over the top spot, with some declaring that the current president is effectively “being written off” behind closed doors.
Building an heir
This dangerous topic took center stage during a recent broadcast. Z-blogger Pavel Ivanov raised eyebrows during a raw interview with pro-kremlin media figure Alexander Kolpakidis.
Ivanov pointed out that a prominent political operator is suddenly getting a massive public relations makeover.
He noted that the image of Sergei Kiriyenko, the powerful first deputy head of the presidential administration, is being heavily “glamorized” across state media.
The campaign features tactical imagery and powerful backgrounds.
Ivanov ironically noted that Kiriyenko is constantly shown in military gear and symbolic “show of force” shots to create the perfect political advertisement.
The shadow architect
The shifting spotlight raises huge questions about who actually runs the country. Kolpakidis warned that the Russian political system remains totally opaque to ordinary citizens.
He argued that official propaganda masks a much more complicated reality.
Strange political interactions suggest that the centralized authority might not be as absolute as the public thinks.
Kiriyenko is uniquely positioned to climb the ladder.
The administrator briefly served as prime minister under Boris Yeltsin in the late 1990s and later ran the state nuclear corporation Rosatom.
Since 2016, he has controlled domestic elections, propaganda campaigns, and the integration of occupied Ukrainian lands.
Seeing his name float to the surface shows that elite anxieties are breaking into the open.
