Russia: Dmitry Kozak Reportedly Leaving Presidential Administration

Dmitry Kozak is stepping down from his role as deputy head of the Presidential Administration, a position he has held since 2020, Orda.kz reports, citing The Insider.

Several outlets, including Interfax, RBK, and Forbes, reported his resignation. Interfax sources said Kozak submitted the request over the past weekend, and his final working day will be Friday.

RBK had earlier cited sources confirming that Kozak had written a resignation letter, adding that he is weighing potential moves into the business sector. This information has not been officially confirmed.

Kozak has long been considered one of Vladimir Putin’s close allies, working alongside him in the St. Petersburg mayor’s office in the 1990s. He later served as deputy prime minister for more than a decade, from 2008 until 2020, before joining the Presidential Administration.

Just weeks ago, Putin dissolved two foreign policy departments overseen by Kozak.

Around the same time, Vedomosti reported that he could be appointed presidential envoy to the Northwestern Federal District. That post may soon be vacant, as its current holder, Alexander Gutsan, has been nominated by Putin to become Prosecutor General.

Several reports, including investigations by The New York Times and Meduza, suggest that Dmitry Kozak privately opposed the full-scale invasion of Ukraine and later pushed for peace talks, though he never voiced this publicly.