Russian President Vladimir Putin has appointed his niece, Anna Tsivileva, as Deputy Minister of Defense and State Secretary, according to reports from Ziare.
Family Members in Powerful Positions
The official decree, signed on August 17, represents a significant elevation in Tsivileva's political career, following her previous role as deputy minister under economist Andrei Belousov.
Tsivileva’s responsibilities will include overseeing social and housing support for military personnel and managing interactions with the state foundation "Defenders of the Fatherland," which supports participants in the ongoing conflict with Ukraine.
This appointment adds to the list of Putin’s family members and close associates who have ascended to powerful positions within the Russian government.
In another notable move, Putin also appointed Pavel Fradkov as the second Deputy Minister of Defense. Fradkov is the son of Mikhail Fradkov, the former head of Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service and a former prime minister.
Pavel Fradkov had been serving as the first deputy head of the presidential administration since 2021.
Worked as Psychiatrist
Anna Tsivileva, whose maiden name is Putina, was born in Ivanovo and is the daughter of Putin’s cousin. She initially worked as a psychiatrist in a local mental hospital during the 1990s.
Her fortunes shifted after Putin rose to power, leading her to Moscow, where she began supplying medical equipment to hospitals. In 2007, she married Sergey Tsivilev, who until recently was the governor of the Kemerovo region and now leads the Ministry of Energy.
The Tsivilevs’ business ventures have drawn attention, particularly their acquisition of the coal company Kolmar in 2012. Despite having no prior experience in the mining industry, the couple managed to secure the company with the help of Gennady Timchenko, a close ally of Putin.
The state has since provided significant financial support to Kolmar, including direct budgetary assistance and tax breaks, raising questions about the nature of their success.
