Bloomberg: Russia's Elite Fears The FSB, Which Is Increasingly Spinning Out Of Control

No one knows who they'll come for next.

Many members of the Russian elite are increasingly concerned that the Federal Security Service (FSB) has spiraled out of control, as Russian dictator Vladimir Putin is relying on the agency to maintain his grip on power amid growing unease over the war in Ukraine. This is reported by Bloomberg.

“The terrorism charge brought against billionaire and Telegram co-founder Pavel Durov, is the latest evidence of an intensifying wave of repression by the FSB, according to individuals close to the Kremlin who asked not to be named when discussing sensitive issues,” the publication notes.

Although Putin has long ruled by balancing between hardliners on security issues and more moderate groups among his officials focused on the economy, many in Kremlin circles believe that the Russian president is now consistently siding with those who favor tighter control over business and society, Bloomberg sources emphasized.

This situation is heightening tensions, as the FSB expands its sphere of influence without any clear limits on its power, while high-ranking officials, namely Putin’s influential head of domestic policy Sergei Kirienko, are losing influence, according to assessments by sources close to the Kremlin and the government. Kirienko was recently criticized for failures in Russia’s political operations in Armenia, Moldova, and Hungary.

“The FSB has become the country’s governing body. The political administration, the Foreign Ministry, and the financial and economic bloc have become purely technical staff carrying out decisions made with the interests of the security services in mind,” noted Moscow-based political analyst Andrei Kolesnikov.

As Bloomberg notes, Putin, a former KGB agent and head of the FSB, is relying on his security service to hold onto power as the war becomes increasingly visible to ordinary Russians.

“Ukrainian strikes on oil refineries, defense plants, and logistics depots are penetrating deep into the country, undermining the Kremlin’s claims that it has the situation under control in the fifth year of a conflict that shows no signs of ending,” the publication notes.

In turn, Tatyana Stanovaya, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Russia-Eurasia Center Tatyana Stanovaya stated that Russian elites are increasingly concerned about the system’s inability to cope with the growing challenges associated with the war, and there are no signs that Putin is ready to make concessions.

“The main problem lies in the sense that the Russian leadership has lost touch with reality. The fact that Putin is fixated on conquering Ukraine has significantly hampered effective governance,” she added.

At the same time, sociologist and research fellow at the “New Eurasian Strategies” think tank Ella Paneikh noted that the atmosphere of repression is spreading among both the elites and the Russian middle class.

“Everyone is afraid because no one knows whose turn it will be next,” the expert said.

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