Paul Goble
Staunton, May 25 – The shaky balance of various criminal groupings within the Putin establishment has been violated by “the sharp intensification of the influence of the FSB and officials and businessmen connected with it,” according to Russian commentator Igor Eidman. And the outcome of their clashes is no “the main intrigue” in Russian politics.
Not only have the chekists stepped up their attacks on businesses and regional officials in order to extract more “tribute,” they have attacked other officials, including ten governors and 15 percent of Russia’s mayors, moves that mean it is now the case that “no one can feel himself secure” (kasparov.ru/material.php?id=60AD0CB1D529B).
“Paradoxically,” Eidman continues, “the FSB which is called to defend the regime has become a real delayed action mine under it” because “the more the chekists put pressure on all the rest, the deeper the split within the elite” and the more “explosive” the situation becomes as people seek some protection against attacks.
According to the Russian commentator, “if the positions of ‘the oprichniki’ were to weaken, which could happen if Putin were to depart, ‘the zemtsvo’ element will throw themselves at them as [Khrushchev and his allies did] did at the time at Beria and his people. Eidman argues political events now must be viewed “in the context of this inevitable fight.”
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