The appointment of Putin’s niece to a high-ranking position in the Ministry of Defense has sparked criticism, even from Russian media, citing the UK Ministry of Defense. According to the briefing, on August 17, Russian media reported that Vladimir Putin had promoted his cousin’s daughter (often referred to as his niece), Anna Tsivileva, to the position of State Secretary of the Ministry of Defense. Previously, Tsivileva was appointed Deputy Minister of Defense, a position she retained in June 2024. As State Secretary, Tsivileva holds a higher rank than a regular Deputy Minister of Defense (of …