Overview

• Russian outlet RBC reported Kozak submitted his resignation over the weekend, and Interfax said Putin has accepted it with Friday expected to be his last day at the Kremlin.
• Kozak privately urged against the 2022 full-scale invasion and later pushed proposals for a ceasefire, negotiations, and domestic reforms, according to prior reporting and analyst accounts.
• After his dissent, many of his responsibilities shifted to First Deputy Chief of Staff Sergei Kirienko, who oversees Russian-occupied territories in Ukraine and has reportedly taken over the Moldova portfolio.
• The Institute for the Study of War assesses that Kozak’s ouster reflects a Kremlin coalescing around continuing the war and consolidates Kirienko’s influence.
• Russian media say Kozak is weighing offers to move into the private sector, contrasting with late-August reports that he was considered for a new government posting.