Thread by @generalsvr_en

Starting from May 17, all reports to #Putin go through the Secretary of the #SecurityCouncil, #Patrushev. For most of the issues that require the permission or opinion of the president, the decision is now made personally by Patrushev and he informs Putin in his final report
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Even the First Deputy Chief of the Presidential Administration, Sergei Kiriyenko, who traditionally has direct access to the #president, now reports to and receives assignments and recommendations from #Patrushev
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Also, #Gerasimov, Putin's dismissed Chief of the General Staff, reported to #Patrushev yesterday, after telephone conversations with Mark Milley, Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff.
#Putin himself has held only two phone conversations personally since Tuesday
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VIPs in the #Russian government are getting worried because they don't understand who makes key decisions and who is responsible for the situation in the country. Decisions made by #Patrushev can and undoubtedly will be perceived ambiguously by the people in power
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Without guarantees of support for these decisions by #Putin, things will quickly descend into a political crisis. The regime in #Russia now rests only on the authority of Putin & his guarantees for the elites. Without him neither #Patrushev nor anyone else can be the backbone
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