Putin adviser resigns and leaves Russia, allegedly over differences over Ukraine

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MADRID, March 23. (EUROPE PRESS) –

A Kremlin adviser, Anatoli Chubais, has resigned from his post and left Russia, allegedly over his disagreement with official policy regarding Ukraine, where Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an offensive to be launched a month ago.

“Yes, it is true. Anatoli Borisovich (Chubais) has left his post,” a source from his environment confirmed to the TASS news agency. Another source has assured that the hitherto adviser for relations with international organizations “has left the country.”

On the reasons, sources cited by the Bloomberg agency have linked the exit with a supposed opposition to the war in Ukraine. If confirmed, he would be the highest-level official to break with the Kremlin over the invasion of Ukraine.

Chubais, 66, is one of the few promoters of the economic reform of the nineties that was still in the current government. In fact, he gave Putin his first job in the Kremlin and since December 2020 he has held the position that he is now leaving.

The Russian government and Putin himself have not spared warnings against those who leave Moscow’s official line in relation to the war. The president has publicly threatened “traitors” and has promoted tougher laws against any hint of dissent.