The war in Ukraine has led to infighting among Russia's most influential players. These are the 7 people you need to know.
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Russia's war in Ukraine has exposed complex relationships, feuds, and jostling rivalries in President Putin's circle of power.
Russia's war in Ukraine has led to infighting among several of the country's key players.
Putin is at the helm, and other influential figures include army generals, politicians, and warlords.
These are the seven people you need to know.
When Russian troops entered Ukraine last February, its once-formidable military expected to swiftly take over its much smaller neighbor.
The war has also exposed complex relationships and jostling rivalries between some of Russia's key players, which include army generals, politicians, and warlords.
This is everything you need to know about the most influential people inside and outside of Putin's inner circle.
Vladimir Putin
At the helm of the war in Ukraine is, of course, Russia's President Vladimir Putin.
A former KGB agent, Putin has served as either president or prime minister of Russia since 1999.
During this time, he has consolidated his all-powerful position by crushing any political opposition, restricting the media, and centralizing power.
Putin's forces began the war when they invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, under the baseless pretext that Russia's neighbor needed to be "demilitarized and de-Nazified."
While all-out war broke out last year, the conflict technically began in 2014 when Russia annexed the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea.
Yevgeny Prigozhin
Yevgeny Prigozhin, a Russian tycoon with ties to Putin, has risen as a key player in the conflict because of his role as founder of the mercenary Wagner Group.
His relationship with Putin began after he set up a catering business in the 1990s that received lucrative government contracts, earning him the nickname "Putin's chef."
He only admitted to being the founder of Wagner in September of last year. Prior to the war in Ukraine, it had been widely seen as a de-facto private military service for the Kremlin.
Sergei Shoigu
There was a time when Shoigu, who has been defense minister since 2012, was a popular public figure in Russia and even touted as Putin's potential successor.
He was also known for his cozy hunting and fishing trips with the president to Siberia.
However, his position appears to have weakened since the invasion of Ukraine began — which he had played a key role in planning and is now overseeing.
Russia's failures in Ukraine might have undermined his decades-long ascent to the top rungs of power and have led to claims of a rift between him and Putin.
There have been constant rumors that Shoigu will be ousted, but he has held onto his post so far.
If Russia fails in Ukraine, experts say Shoigu and Russia's military leadership would become the scapegoats.
In an ongoing power struggle, Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin has repeatedly attacked Shoigu and Russia's military establishment.
Shoigu oversaw the invasion and annexation of Crimea in 2014 and also played a crucial role in Russia's intervention in Syria in 2015.
Sergei Surovikin
Sergei Surovikin was appointed to oversee the war in Ukraine in October, arriving with the reputation of being a ruthless general accused of targeting civilian infrastructure in Syria.
During his short tenure, he oversaw the aerial bombardment of critical infrastructure in Ukraine, as well as Russia's forced retreat from the city of Kherson, which it had occupied in the early months of the war.
In January, he was demoted to serve as one of three deputies to his successor Gen. Valery Gerasimov.
The outspoken Wagner leader often praised Surovikin while criticizing Gerasimov and Shoigu.
Gen. Valery Gerasimov
Russia appointed Gen. Valery Gerasimov, Russia's top general, to oversee the war in Ukraine in January.
Gerasimov had been a key architect of the invasion of Ukraine, along with Shoigu, but appeared to have remained at arm's length during the early part of the war.
When the formidable Russian army failed to easily crush Ukraine, as it had been expected to, Gerasimov was personally blamed by many of Russia's nationalist war bloggers.
Now, he could be first in the firing line if Russia fails.
Gerasimov, who has served as head of the Russian army since 2012, played key roles in Russia's campaign in Syria and its annexation of Crimea.
Sergey Lavrov
Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Russia's top diplomat, is often described as the Kremlin's mouthpiece.
He is considered to be an experienced and skilled diplomat, having joined the foreign ministry over 50 years ago and working through the Cold War and the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Ramzan Kadyrov
Warlord Ramzan Kadyrov is the president of the Chechen Republic and is known for his unswerving loyalty to the Russian president.
Kadyrov started out as a Chechen rebel, but eventually switched sides and fought with the Russians in a war that helped boost Putin to the presidency.
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