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At 58, president of the Duma Lower House of Parliament Vyacheslav Volodin is one of the younger members of the inner circle. He has been touted as a possible successor to Mr Putin. AFP
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Head of Russia's SVR intelligence service Sergei Naryshkin has seen his status eroded by the strong resistance encountered in Ukraine, which he did not foresee. EPA
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Head of Russia's Roscosmos space agency Dmitry Rogozin has threatened to abandon a Nasa astronaut on the International Space Station. AFP
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Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu was one of the architects of Moscow's intervention in Syria. AFP
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Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with Russia's oil giant Rosneft chief Igor Sechin. He has been described as Mr Putin's right-hand man. AFP
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Secretary of Russia's Security Council Nikolai Patrushev attends a meeting in Moscow. He is said to have known Mr Putin for 50 years. AFP
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Sergei Ivanov, Russian special representative on questions of ecology and transport, is a close friend of Mr Putin. AFP
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Federal Security Service director Alexander Bortnikov is responsible for a huge network of agents in Russia. AFP
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At 58, president of the Duma Lower House of Parliament Vyacheslav Volodin is one of the younger members of the inner circle. He has been touted as a possible successor to Mr Putin. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/XJBYEZENQNFLPEZSUACETH222E.jpg?smart=true&auth=9e7830ac8f47b3096d7d60a3483b837dd2845cd3a9ff832203eb73f7abaf424e&width=400&height=225)
Head of Russia's SVR intelligence service Sergei Naryshkin has seen his status eroded by the strong resistance encountered in Ukraine, which he did not foresee. EPA
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/3UIIOW2HXRHVZNF4ZDKHYB5JOM.jpg?smart=true&auth=39fb935af0e0f81c3520e30f60744e07b4b815fc5a96e47d1d550c6310540846&width=400&height=225)
Head of Russia's Roscosmos space agency Dmitry Rogozin has threatened to abandon a Nasa astronaut on the International Space Station. AFP
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Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu was one of the architects of Moscow's intervention in Syria. AFP
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Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with Russia's oil giant Rosneft chief Igor Sechin. He has been described as Mr Putin's right-hand man. AFP
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Secretary of Russia's Security Council Nikolai Patrushev attends a meeting in Moscow. He is said to have known Mr Putin for 50 years. AFP
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Sergei Ivanov, Russian special representative on questions of ecology and transport, is a close friend of Mr Putin. AFP
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Federal Security Service director Alexander Bortnikov is responsible for a huge network of agents in Russia. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/PU4T632FPNDHNDWVM6RMBG7ZAA.jpg?smart=true&auth=cf0c31f1e65c161f62d7f10709e7a7abde6af9f0fd61d2fcb05419a55a6f7c4f&width=400&height=225)
At 58, president of the Duma Lower House of Parliament Vyacheslav Volodin is one of the younger members of the inner circle. He has been touted as a possible successor to Mr Putin. AFP
Meet Russia's siloviki — Putin's inner circle
Most Kremlin loyalists closest to the president have a security or intelligence background
![James Langton](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fs3.amazonaws.com%2Farc-authors%2Fthenational%2F59aec61e-41b3-468c-8a69-57168338145b.png?smart=true&auth=20537dd68c837a65707d347b248e74bad34b378390f02a7be13b68d756185b99&width=70&height=70)
James Langton
15 March, 2022
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