The Putin Confidant Who Pushed Back Against Russia’s War in Ukraine
The New York Times • • world
Key Points:
- On the second day of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Dmitri N. Kozak, a close aide to President Vladimir Putin, refused to follow Putin’s order to demand Ukraine’s surrender, expressing confusion about the invasion’s purpose.
- Kozak warned Putin he was prepared to face arrest or execution for his refusal, and the call was later revealed to have been on speakerphone, making Kremlin officials witnesses to this rare act of insubordination.
- Kozak was a unique dissenting voice within Putin’s inner circle, which otherwise maintains near-total control over the war effort, enabling Putin to persist with hard-line demands despite growing pressure for a cease-fire.
- Kozak resigned as deputy chief of staff in September 2023,
