May 27, 2023

No One is Going Anywhere


No One is Going Anywhere

The Kremlin banned high-ranking officials from resigning during the war.

The online publication Важные истории ("Important Stories") reported on its Telegram channel that the Department of Internal Policy of the Presidential Administration has secretly prohibited high-ranking officials from resigning during the war.

The publication reported that the prohibition was confirmed by four sources: a former FSB officer, a political strategist working with a regional governor, and two acquaintances of high-ranking officials of the presidential administration.

“I am aware of at least two cases where governors tried to leave their posts," said the ex-FSB office. "But in the UVP [Internal Policy Department of the Presidential Administration] they were not just banned from resigning, but there were hints of possible criminal cases..."

"There are many who have wanted to [leave] since the start of the war. If everyone leaves, control will be lost,” said an acquaintance of an official from the Presidential Administration.

According to this latter source, the desire to quit is regarded by the UVP as a betrayal, so the “demonstration of unity” has been put forward as a key task for civil servants.

At the same time, sources note that such a ban is both informal and illegal. As one interviewee put it, “many people are ready to pay a handsome sum for the opportunity to leave quietly, unnoticed.” A person is still allowed to quit for health reasons.

At the same time, FSB officers spoke of the impossibility of resignation. Since the start of mobilization, servicemen under contract, including FSB employees, cannot leave their service even if their contract has come to an end.

 

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