According to British intelligence, Russian President Vladimir Putin continues to appoint his relatives to high government positions in Russia. This became evident recently with the appointment of Anna Tsivileva, Putin's niece, to the post of State Secretary of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. This decision underscores the growing reclusiveness of the Russian elite and caused critical responses in the Russian press.
According to British intelligence, on August 17, the Russian media reported that Putin had promoted his cousin's daughter, Anna Tsivilyeva, to the position of State Secretary of the Ministry of Defense.
Previously, the civilian was appointed as the Deputy Minister of Defense. In the position of secretary of state, she is higher than the usual deputy minister of defense and is responsible for the department's relations with the legislature and other state bodies, the message says.
In 2023, she became the head of the state fund for the support of "Defenders of the Fatherland" participants, which organized voluntary donations to support the war in Ukraine.
In British intelligence, it is noted that the civilian is married to the Minister of Energy of Russia, Sergey Civilev.
The civilian's initial appointment in June drew muted criticism from the Russian press for nepotism, testing even Russia's tolerance for corrupt practices. There is a real possibility that its further increase indicates the growing isolation of the Russian elite,
