In his 2024 state-of-the-nation address, Vladimir Putin declared that the word “elite” had lost much of its credibility. Russia’s “real elite,” he said, are those who serve their country: “the workers and warriors, reliable, trustworthy people who have proven their loyalty to Russia through their deeds.”

It’s safe to assume that these words sent a chill through Russia’s elite circles, where top officials, business leaders, and military figures have been jockeying to hold on to their positions for nearly four years of wartime.

With Putin laser-focused on winning the war against Ukraine, anyone who impedes that goal is at risk of finding themselves on the chopping block. Long-serving officials have fallen out of favor, while ultra-patriotic hardliners are rising to the top, leaving Putin surrounded by sycophants. But concentrating so much power in one 73-year-old man poses some obvious risks for Russia’s political system.

For more insight into how Putin’s war effort has changed the rules for Russia’s “old elites” and made them fear the prospect of peace, The Naked Pravda spoke to Farida Rustamova, an independent journalist who covers politics and power in Russia and writes the Substack newsletter Faridaily.

Time stamps for this episode:

(2:42 The Shift in Russian Political Dynamics
04:54 Meduza’s Daily Newsletter Plug
05:41 Medvedev’s Transformation and Elite Adaptation
07:11 Fear and Repression Among Russian Officials
11:59 High-Level Shakeups and Political Loyalty
19:50 Concerns Over War’s End and Future Chaos
25:32 Skepticism About Peace Talks and Putin’s Image
27:56 Putin’s Concentration of Power and Future of Putinism

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Russia’s elites once dreaded war. Now, they fear peace.

The Naked Pravda