Media: Senior Kremlin official dismissed after opposing war in Ukraine

Senior Kremlin official Dmitry Kozak has been dismissed from his post as deputy chief of the Russian Presidential Administration following years of internal dissent over President Vladimir Putin’s war policies in Ukraine.

Kozak, once considered one of Putin’s most trusted advisors, was reportedly the sole member of Russia’s Security Council who openly opposed the full-scale invasion of Ukraine during a pivotal meeting on February 21, 2022, Caliber.Az reports, citing Ukrainian media.

Following the outbreak of hostilities, Kozak served as a key negotiator in early talks with Ukrainian officials, proposing a deal that would have prevented Ukraine from joining NATO.

Kozak’s influence within the Kremlin sharply declined in recent months after he urged Putin to immediately cease military operations, pursue peace negotiations, and curtail the dominance of Russia’s powerful security services. These recommendations ran counter to Putin’s increasingly hardline stance, culminating in Kozak’s removal.

Reports suggest that Kozak either faced direct dismissal or was pressured to resign under mounting internal opposition.

On August 29, President Putin signed a decree abolishing two key departments within the Presidential Administration — the Department of Interregional and Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries and the Department of Cross-Border Cooperation — both previously overseen by Kozak. The move is widely interpreted as an administrative prelude to his departure.

Russian journalist Alexey Venediktov stated that Kozak submitted his resignation voluntarily. Venediktov noted that, if confirmed, Kozak’s exit would constitute a rare precedent within Putin’s tightly controlled power vertical — a senior official parting ways over policy disagreement.

Kozak has been a prominent figure in Putin’s inner circle since the 1990s, having served as Deputy Prime Minister for over a decade before assuming his role in the Presidential Administration in 2020. He was responsible for relations with CIS countries and played a central role in shaping the Kremlin’s Ukraine strategy.

According to the reports, Kozak had made renewed efforts to persuade Putin to halt the war in Ukraine, putting forward a formal proposal for a ceasefire and negotiations earlier this year — a proposal that was once again rejected.

By Vafa Guliyeva