Kozak resigns, Putin's loyal friend believed to oppose war in Ukraine

Dmitry Kozak was a close associate and a close friend of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is believed to have opposed the war in Ukraine in its first few days has resigned from the government, said the Kremlin.

Kozak, 66-year-old who served as deputy head of the Kremlin's powerful presidential administration, decided to leave on his own will, spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters Thursday.

The announcement came after several days of gossip about Kozak, who is one of Putin's earliest associates since the first days of the Russian leader in politics, at St Petersburg's mayor's office in the 1990s.

The exits of senior officials from the administration or cabinet under Putin's direction are rare.

Some Russian media said Kozaku had been offered the post as the highest official for Russia's northwest federal district, but he had accepted.

Peskov didn't mention anything about it.

Kozak ʹ, born in Ukraine, entered the Kremlin with Putin when he became president in 2000, serving in some important roles over the years, including as deputy prime minister for nearly 12 years.

He served as head of the Kremlin for hosting the Sochi Winter Olympics in 2014, which the Kremlin saw as a sign of Russia's deserved return to the world stage.

Following the invasion of the Ukrainian Crime Peninsula from Moscow in March 2014 and later its annexation, it was imposed under sanctions from the United States and other Western governments.

In 2020, Kozak joined the presidential administration, which has a powerful role within the Kremlin. He was also known as the frequent mediator with ambassadors and Western envoys.

Some analysts see Kozak's departure as the latest signal that any doubts or opposition to the fight against Ukraine is not welcome.

In the months before and days following the invasion of Ukraine from Russia in February 2022, it was reported for silent objections by some of Putin's closest advisers to the decision to invade the neighbouring country.

On days after the invasion, Kozak, who was appointed over the Kremlin in charge of the Ukrainian case, had told Putin privately that he was opposed, according to The New York Times.

According to Reuters, Kozaku had also prepared a framework for a peace agreement with Ukraine that would resolve some of the Kremlin's main demands. Putin, however, had rejected the plan.

Kozaku's departure is important not only because of his duration as Putin's internal associate, who is known for assessing all loyalty, but also because of the relative lack of resignations from the Kremlin or Government, whether because of opposition to war or for other reasons.

Other top officials known to have voiced opposition to the war include Central Bank Chairman Elvira Nabiulna, who reportedly had handed in her resignation to Putin, but he had declined.

The top general to oversee the war, Valery Gerassimov, continues to hold the post of Chief of General Staff despite widespread belief that the first months of Ukraine's invasion were a disaster for the Russian armed forces.

He turned 70 last week, well beyond the normal retirement age for officers. / REL/