A scandal has erupted over Sergei Lavrov, one of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s former associates.
The Russian Foreign Ministry has launched an investigation into the alleged leaking of classified information in the diplomatic corps abroad.
Russian media report that the Federal Security Service has been involved in the investigation into the structure headed by Sergei Lavrov for 20 years. The investigation began with the dismissal of Mikhail Bogdanov, the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister, who was unexpectedly dismissed a few days ago. Mikhail Bogdanov’s loss of his post as Deputy Foreign Minister and Special Representative for the Middle East is not due to his age, as he claims, but to a more serious incident – the leakage of highly classified information abroad.
If Bogdanov is also formally charged, it will be the first time in modern history that such a high-ranking person from Sergei Lavrov’s circle will come under the control of the investigation. This will be a serious blow to Sergey Lavrov’s career, and a serious “cleansing” will begin in the entire Foreign Ministry system.
Lavrov’s health did not allow him to work as before, and the news that he will be dismissed is not new. The position of the Foreign Minister is largely symbolic. According to the Russian Constitution, the president is responsible for foreign policy. In this sense, the Foreign Ministry is simply an apparatus that carries out the instructions of the head of state. But the latest scandal confirms the claims that Lavrov’s health has significantly weakened the diplomat’s work rate and position. Lavrov has been wanting to quit for several years now, and has repeatedly sent messages to the state leadership that he is tired.
Sources are sure that the minister’s condition has deteriorated so much that it negatively affects his work, he often gets angry and is often in a bad mood. This also leads to Lavrov’s frequent outbursts and diplomatic scandals. It is also reported that a plan has already been developed for Lavrov’s treatment in one of the best clinics in Israel. Recall that Lavrov’s son-in-law and daughter are Israeli citizens.
The new head of the Russian Foreign Ministry is said to be Kirill Dmitriyev, the general director of the Russian Direct Investment Fund. It also seems possible that the appointment of State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin and Director of the Foreign Intelligence Service Sergey Naryshkin to this position.