The deputy chief of the Russian presidential administration, Sergei Kiriyenko, is considered a powerful confidant of Putin and a potential successor. An allegedly falsified text about the Russian reconstruction plans for the Donbass is now causing trouble for him. Is someone trying to harm him?
A text that could be read for just a few minutes on the website of the Kremlin-affiliated newspaper Izvestia caused a stir in Russia. The focus: Sergei Kiriyenko, Deputy Head of the Russian Presidential Administration. He is said to have written the text about the Russian reconstruction of the Donbass. This should “cost several trillion rubles” at the expense of the Russian population. “This money will be provided from the Russian budget – also at the expense of a temporary reduction in our country’s standard of living,” it says.
But is the text real, or is Kiriyenko really the author? The newspaper took the article offline again after a few minutes and spoke of a fake. The account of an editorial staff member was hacked, and Kiriyenko had nothing to do with the text, the statement said.
The fact that the post was full of spelling mistakes and was published twice, forty minutes apart, also made some observers suspicious. Nevertheless, the article had an effect: criticism hailed in Russian-language networks, users asked whether only their standard of living would fall. The plans were described as a “children’s surprise”.
The American scientists from the “Institute for the Study of War” consider it plausible that “Izvestia” had prepared the article for later publication and hackers just published it ahead of schedule. A similar incident happened at the end of February, when the RIA agency accidentally published an article discussing taking Ukraine in the past tense.
The Kremlin-critical portal “Meduza” also wrote that there was a high probability of a hack with the aim of harming Kiriyenko. The magazine reports that a power struggle over Putin’s successor has long been raging in the Kremlin.
Kiriyenko is a kind of unofficial chief strategist in domestic politics and, as a “top man”, is supposed to ensure order in the retaken part of the Donbass. In this respect, an article on the costs would be quite conceivable. However, according to “BR”, Kiriyenko has a major disadvantage: he does not have the support of oligarchs and top people in the Kremlin apparatus, but rather has competitors there. These could be responsible for the current damaging headlines about Kiriyenko.
Heavy fighting continues in eastern Ukraine. Despite great resistance, the Russian army is on the advance. Kyiv is therefore emphasizing its demand for heavy weapons. President Selenskyj also expects more from Berlin.
Vladimir Putin could never accept that his country would become a regional power. So he wages war and turns his eyes to Europe. Only an overthrow from within could change that.
Ukraine’s President Selenskyj warns Chancellor Scholz before his visit to Kyiv. There should be no “balancing act” between Russia and Ukraine. During his visit to Kyiv, Ambassador Melnyk expects Scholz to promise that tanks will be delivered. All voices and developments on the Ukraine war here in the ticker.
