Putin Allies Show Sympathy for Protests
Some members of the pro-Kremlin elite are daring to be seen backing more liberal policies.
Even some Putin allies disagree with the Kremlin’s handling of protests.
Photographer: YURI KADOBNOV/AFPRussian President Vladimir Putin always fights back when under pressure. But, surprisingly for a system in which he reigns supreme, some of his close allies are daring to tell him that this is not always the best tactic with the Russian people.
In recent days, three influential people from different strands of the Putin elite have publicly criticized the Kremlin’s harsh treatment of the protests set off by the refusal of the authorities to let opposition candidates run in next month’s Moscow city council election. This doesn’t mean Putin will listen or even that the elite representatives want him too. Rather, it shows that the people who have shaped the president’s policies are pondering the nature of the power transition that’s possible if Putin gives up the presidency in 2024, as the Russian constitution dictates.