Vasily Yakemenko, a former prominent figure in the Russian political elite, made waves in a recent interview with a series of provocative statements, one of which included referring to Vladimir Putin as “Volodka”—a diminutive and informal version of his name. This particular remark reminded me of an incident a decade ago involving Rosneft's Igor Sechin, Putin's proxy. At the launch of the West Alpha platform in the Kara Sea, while waiting for a live feed with Putin, Sechin nervously removed his winter jacket, visibly agitated. At the time, many mocked Sechin’s apparent fear of Putin.
However, this moment underscores a deeper divide within Putin’s elite. Figures like Sechin, unlike Yakemenko, treated Putin with near-reverence. This distinction reflects two types of elites within Putin’s system: those who viewed Putin cynically, as a small-time schemer like themselves, and those who saw him as the embodiment of the Leviathan—the State itself. By the later stages of Putinism, particularly as the war in Ukraine began, the first group had nearly vanished, replaced by those acting with deference and fear. Yet some of the cynical elites remain, though they must now feign loyalty to the Leviathan.
Interestingly, Putin himself often adopts an overly familiar demeanor and tolerates—or even invites—a certain pejorative attitude. This is an open secret within Russian politics.
What’s the point? Recently, and this is my subjective observation, the Yakemenko “Volodka” perception of Putin has started to re-emerge. The awe surrounding Putin has been fading for the past two years, particularly after the Prigozhin rebellion. The full consequences of that event have yet to be realized, but it has clearly marked a turning point in how Putin is perceived by those around him.