Key Takeaways From The Times's Reporting on Putin's Powerful Aide

New York Times

5 days ago

When you dig into how the Kremlin wields power, one name comes up over and over: Sergei V. Kiriyenko.
Mr. Kiriyenko, 63, is a first deputy chief of staff to President Vladimir V. Putin. The modest title belies enormous influence. He is the key figure who tightened Mr. Putin's grip on Russia since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, even though Mr. Kiriyenko was once known as a Western-oriented reformer.
Here are the key takeaways from our yearlong reporting on Mr. Kiriyenko, based on interviews with more than a dozen former colleagues and other Russians who know him, as well as with Western officials.
A Consummate Technocrat
Mr. Kiriyenko's importance to Mr. Putin is as one of his most effective and versatile 'technocrats.' These men and women are an underappreciated reason Mr. Putin has been able to rule for a quarter-century. Younger and more internationally minded than the K.G.B.-era figures closest to Mr. Putin, the technocrats have become proficient in managing Russia's finances, social programs, health system, infrastructure and many other crucial functions.
Mr. Kiriyenko ran Russia's state nuclear energy conglomerate for a decade, modernizing it with Japanese management principles and expanding its footprint with global deals. Since 2016, he has managed Russia's domestic politics, including overseeing regional governments, picking the Kremlin's favored candidates for Parliament and helping coordinate a crackdown on dissent.
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