Putin elevates cousin to top defence role amid corruption concerns
Vladimir Putin has promoted his cousin, Anna Tsiwilowa, to a position within the Ministry of Defence. This move is challenging even for the Russian tolerance of corruption and may indicate the growing insularity of the country's elite, reports the British Ministry of Defence.
Putin has elevated Tsiwilowa, his cousin's daughter and often referred to as his niece, to the role of State Secretary in the Ministry of Defence. This is her latest promotion. In June of this year, Tsiwilowa was appointed deputy minister of defense and will retain that position.
As explained, as State Secretary, Tsiwilowa has been elevated above the ordinary Deputy Ministers of Defence, of whom there are seven. She will be responsible for liaising with parliament and other departments within the Ministry.
In the update, it was noted that nothing is known about any experience or contacts she had in defence matters before 2023. She is a psychiatrist by education and later worked in companies dealing with medical supplies.
Putin's cousin is married to the energy minister
In 2023, she became the chairperson of the State Foundation for the Support of Participants of the Special Military Operation "Defenders of the Fatherland," which organises collections to support the war in Ukraine. Tsiwilowa is married to the Russian Energy Minister Sergei Tsiwilov.
It was assessed that Tsiwilowa's initial promotion in June was met with muted criticism from the Russian press due to nepotism, which posed a challenge even to Russian tolerance of corrupt practices. There is a real possibility that her further promotions indicate the growing insularity of the Russian elite.
