Renz (2006)

Renz, Bettina

2006

Putin's militocracy? An alternative interpretation of Siloviki in contemporary Russian politics

Europe-Asia Studies

58

6

903-924

https://doi.org/10.1080/09668130600831134

This article challenges the perception of the rising numbers of siloviki in Russian politics as a conscious strategy and expression of a more authoritarian policy direction pursued by President Putin. Contextualising the phenomenon within the framework of the system of elite recruitment in contemporary Russia, and engaging in a micro-level study of individual siloviki, the article argues that the role of these figures is more modest than often asserted and the possibility of a coordinated ‘siloviki project’ is unlikely.