Putin's Right-Hand Man Absent from Kremlin's Key Meeting
A notable absence at a crucial Kremlin Security Council meeting and from Russia’s G20 delegation has sparked speculation that veteran diplomat Sergei Lavrov may have fallen out of favor with President Vladimir Putin.
Observation of Power Dynamics
In Soviet times, Western analysts closely studied footage of official events, such as military parades on Red Square, to interpret the power hierarchy within the Kremlin. They examined who stood closest to the leader, the gestures exchanged, and which figures appeared to rise or fade from prominence.
“In some ways, not much has changed.”
Lavrov’s Notable Absence
Today’s Kremlin watchers apply similar scrutiny to new footage from Wednesday’s meeting of Russia’s Security Council, where Vladimir Putin instructed top officials to prepare proposals for a potential nuclear weapons test. The meeting drew attention not only for its sensitive agenda but because Sergei Lavrov, Russia’s long-serving foreign minister, was missing.
“According to the Russian business daily, Kommersant, his absence was ‘coordinated.’”
Lavrov, the only permanent member of the Council not in attendance, has long been one of Putin’s closest allies. His omission from such an event raised questions about his current standing within the Kremlin’s inner circle.
Rumors of a Shift
The uncertainty was amplified by Lavrov’s exclusion from Russia’s delegation to the G20 summit. Together, these absences suggest a possible reshuffle at the top or a cooling of relations between Putin and his long-trusted diplomat.
Author’s summary: The unexplained absence of Sergei Lavrov from high-level Kremlin meetings hints at a possible erosion of his influence under President Putin.
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