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| Kremlin Forces Out Putin’s Former Domestic Policy Adviser | |
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| MOSCOW — The Kremlin on Wednesday announced the resignation of Vladislav Y. Surkov, a longtime domestic policy adviser and architect of Russia’s highly centralized political system, now under strain from protests. | MOSCOW — The Kremlin on Wednesday announced the resignation of Vladislav Y. Surkov, a longtime domestic policy adviser and architect of Russia’s highly centralized political system, now under strain from protests. |
| Mr. Surkov, a former advertising executive, had coined the phrase “sovereign democracy” to describe the Russian system under President Vladimir V. Putin, a system that preserved popular elections but stripped them of meaning by closely manipulating the process. | Mr. Surkov, a former advertising executive, had coined the phrase “sovereign democracy” to describe the Russian system under President Vladimir V. Putin, a system that preserved popular elections but stripped them of meaning by closely manipulating the process. |
| After waves of protests that began in 2011 by middle-class Muscovites angry about vote rigging, others in the Kremlin elbowed Mr. Surkov aside. “Stabilization devours its own children,” he said then. He was reassigned to a low-key position overseeing innovation in the economy. | After waves of protests that began in 2011 by middle-class Muscovites angry about vote rigging, others in the Kremlin elbowed Mr. Surkov aside. “Stabilization devours its own children,” he said then. He was reassigned to a low-key position overseeing innovation in the economy. |
| The Kremlin published a statement saying Mr. Putin had signed a decree removing Mr. Surkov from his position “in accordance with his own wishes” and effective immediately. | The Kremlin published a statement saying Mr. Putin had signed a decree removing Mr. Surkov from his position “in accordance with his own wishes” and effective immediately. |
| The Kremlin statement offered no explanation for why Russia’s prime minister, Dmitri A. Medvedev, who was Mr. Surkov’s direct superior, had not issued the decree. | The Kremlin statement offered no explanation for why Russia’s prime minister, Dmitri A. Medvedev, who was Mr. Surkov’s direct superior, had not issued the decree. |
| It was a peculiarity, one sure to reinforce the impression lately that Mr. Medvedev is being sidelined in Russian politics, despite the loyalty he showed to Mr. Putin last year by declining to run for a second term as president and endorsing Mr. Putin to run instead. | It was a peculiarity, one sure to reinforce the impression lately that Mr. Medvedev is being sidelined in Russian politics, despite the loyalty he showed to Mr. Putin last year by declining to run for a second term as president and endorsing Mr. Putin to run instead. |
| A public dispute earlier this week with a powerful law enforcement organization telegraphed Mr. Surkov’s ouster. | A public dispute earlier this week with a powerful law enforcement organization telegraphed Mr. Surkov’s ouster. |
| The disagreement concerned a centerpiece project of Mr. Medvedev’s presidency, the building of the so-called innovation city of Skolkovo, on the edge of Moscow, which was supposed to attract computer programmers and scientists to work in Russia. After Mr. Medvedev’s departure from the presidency, official support for Skolkovo dried up. | The disagreement concerned a centerpiece project of Mr. Medvedev’s presidency, the building of the so-called innovation city of Skolkovo, on the edge of Moscow, which was supposed to attract computer programmers and scientists to work in Russia. After Mr. Medvedev’s departure from the presidency, official support for Skolkovo dried up. |
| Then, a branch of the prosecutor’s office, the investigative committee, this year accused executives in Skolkovo of embezzling government funds. | Then, a branch of the prosecutor’s office, the investigative committee, this year accused executives in Skolkovo of embezzling government funds. |
| At a speech at the London School of Economics on May 1 during what was described as a private visit to Britain, Mr. Surkov criticized the investigative committee for the crackdown in Skolkovo. | At a speech at the London School of Economics on May 1 during what was described as a private visit to Britain, Mr. Surkov criticized the investigative committee for the crackdown in Skolkovo. |
| “The energy with which the investigative committee publishes their suppositions evokes the feeling among normal people that a crime took place,” Mr. Surkov said. “But it is just the investigative committee’s style. It is their energy. Let them prove it.” | “The energy with which the investigative committee publishes their suppositions evokes the feeling among normal people that a crime took place,” Mr. Surkov said. “But it is just the investigative committee’s style. It is their energy. Let them prove it.” |
| In response, the spokesman for the investigative committee, Vladimir Markin, wrote an article published in Izvestia, a Russian newspaper, pondering whether Mr. Surkov would “hold onto his armchair” much longer. | In response, the spokesman for the investigative committee, Vladimir Markin, wrote an article published in Izvestia, a Russian newspaper, pondering whether Mr. Surkov would “hold onto his armchair” much longer. |
| Mr. Surkov shot back by calling Mr. Markin’s article “graphomania,” a rare public breach among the Russian elite. | Mr. Surkov shot back by calling Mr. Markin’s article “graphomania,” a rare public breach among the Russian elite. |
| Over his career, Mr. Surkov had created an array of political tools — Nashi, a youth movement; the United Russia political party; and total control of state television — that helped Mr. Putin consolidate power in his first two terms as president and also orchestrate the Medvedev interlude to allow Mr. Putin to get around term limits. | Over his career, Mr. Surkov had created an array of political tools — Nashi, a youth movement; the United Russia political party; and total control of state television — that helped Mr. Putin consolidate power in his first two terms as president and also orchestrate the Medvedev interlude to allow Mr. Putin to get around term limits. |
| Mr. Surkov’s low profile and clout earned him a reputation as a puppet master of Russian politics. On the side, he styled himself a literary figure and was widely rumored to have written a novel under a pseudonym while working as Mr. Putin’s chief political adviser. | Mr. Surkov’s low profile and clout earned him a reputation as a puppet master of Russian politics. On the side, he styled himself a literary figure and was widely rumored to have written a novel under a pseudonym while working as Mr. Putin’s chief political adviser. |
| Mr. Surkov was reassigned to Mr. Medvedev’s cabinet from his previous position, deputy head of the presidential administration in the Kremlin, in December 2011, a move seen as a demotion. Asked about his transfer then, Mr. Surkov told a Russian journalist, “I am too odious for this brave new world.” | Mr. Surkov was reassigned to Mr. Medvedev’s cabinet from his previous position, deputy head of the presidential administration in the Kremlin, in December 2011, a move seen as a demotion. Asked about his transfer then, Mr. Surkov told a Russian journalist, “I am too odious for this brave new world.” |
| On Wednesday, he posted a brief statement on his Facebook page saying, “I will answer everybody right away, yes it is true.” | On Wednesday, he posted a brief statement on his Facebook page saying, “I will answer everybody right away, yes it is true.” |