Overview
- Proekt reports that at least 20 relatives of Vladimir Putin hold positions across government bodies and state-connected firms, including roles tied to Gazprom and RusHydro.
- Anna Tsivilyova, identified as the late cousin’s daughter, became a deputy defence minister in 2024 after her husband, Sergei Tsivilyov, was named energy minister a month earlier.
- Ukraine’s military intelligence alleges Tsivilyova was placed in the defence ministry to report on loyalty and corruption directly to Putin.
- Proekt, which is outlawed in Russia and operates from abroad, says family ties are pervasive, finding that 76% of 1,329 key officials have relatives in the public sector.
- The investigation compares the Kremlin’s network to Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov’s system, reporting he has installed 96 relatives and that his son holds multiple official posts.