Kathrine Frich
Kozak urged Putin to end military operations in Ukraine.
Kozak urged Putin to end military operations in Ukraine.
Top Putin Aide Ousted After Criticizing Ukraine War
Foreign Affairs reports that Dmitry Kozak has been removed from his position as an advisor to Vladimir Putin.
Sources say the dismissal followed his private criticism of the war with Ukraine.
Former Prime Minister Sergei Kiriyenko has assumed much of his authority.
Kozak’s Long History With Putin
Kozak was appointed head of Putin’s office in 1999 when Putin became prime minister.
In 2007, he oversaw preparations for the Sochi Olympics.
After Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, he managed the peninsula’s integration into the Russian Federation.
Calls for Peace and Domestic Focus
According to Russian and Western sources, Kozak urged Putin to end military operations in Ukraine.
He advised beginning peace talks and shifting focus to domestic reforms.
Kremlin insiders say he openly warned about the invasion’s “dramatic consequences.”
A Missed Deal With Kyiv
Reuters reported in September 2022 that Kozak, then responsible for Ukraine policy, had presented a preliminary peace agreement to Putin early in the war.
He recommended signing it, but Putin rejected the plan.
The Russian president insisted on larger concessions, aiming to annex vast areas of Ukraine.
Isolation Among Russia’s Elite
The New York Times says Kozak’s frustrations are shared by only a small group within the Russian elite.
“Putin is surrounded by people who only fuel his tough demands regarding Ukraine,” the paper reports.
Most influential figures have accepted or supported the invasion.
Elite Mindset Shifts Since War Began
Journalist Mikhail Zygar writes in Foreign Affairs that early on, many Russian elites believed “their lives were over.”
Over time, most decided that opposing the war was futile.
Some see the conflict as the start of a wider confrontation with the West.
