Kremlin Shake-Up: Dmitry Kozak Steps Down as Deputy Chief of Staff Amid Shift in Power Dynamics

Dmitry Kozak, a longtime ally of President Vladimir Putin, has resigned from his position as deputy chief of staff at the Kremlin, as confirmed by chief spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Thursday.

His resignation comes after a New York Times report from last month indicated that Kozak had fallen out of favor with Putin due to his opposition to the invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Previously regarded as a significant fixer within the Kremlin, he has adopted a more subdued public presence and has reportedly handed over important duties to Sergei Kiriyenko, the powerful first deputy chief of staff.

Kozak reportedly submitted his resignation over the weekend and is currently considering opportunities in the private sector, as reported by the business news outlet RBC, which was the first to disclose his resignation on Wednesday.

The Kremlin later confirmed Kozak’s departure, with Peskov stating on Thursday that he resigned for “personal reasons,” though he did not elaborate further.

Interfax reported that Putin has accepted Kozak’s resignation, with Friday being expected as his final day at the Kremlin.

Kozak, who was born in the Kirovohrad region of Soviet Ukraine, held legal positions in St. Petersburg during the 1990s, a time when Putin was in the mayor’s office. He entered the federal government in 1999 and subsequently followed Putin into the Kremlin after his election in the year that followed.