A purge of the Russian regime’s own supporters is underway
For years, people who showed themselves to be supporters of Vladimir Putin and the invasion of Ukraine thrived in Russia, where loyalty and enthusiastic support for the war were rewarded with influence, prestige and money. However, they are currently targets of the same repressive machine that they helped to legitimize.
Some examples are political analyst Sergei Markov, who for years hailed Vladimir Putin in foreign media, and blogger Roman Alyokhin, who raised funds for Russian troops while spreading openly genocidal speeches about Ukraine. Both were designated as “foreign agents”, a classification that for years served to silence critics of the regime. With origins in the Soviet lexicon, this label implies severe financial restrictions and the obligation to publicly identify as such.
After being labeled a “foreign agent”, Sergei Markov tried to minimize the case, classifying it as “a misunderstanding”. Roman Alyokhin resorted to arguments used by human rights defenders, saying that the law “violates the Russian Constitution” and represents “a serious violation of civil liberties”.
“First, they persecuted anti-war voices. Now there are none left, and the repressive machine cannot be stopped”, says Russian political scientist Ekaterina Schulmann, cited by .
Tatyana Montyan, born in Ukraine and commentator on a Russian channel, was included on the list of “terrorists and extremists” – a label reserved for those considered the Kremlin’s most dangerous enemies, such as former collaborators of .
According to experts, these cases illustrate a new trend in which the Russian system is purging its own supporters, as rivals within the regime turn against each other. Moscow has given no official explanation for the crackdowns and each case appears to have been triggered differently.
Roman Alyokhin and Tatyana Montyan were accused of embezzling funds intended for the Russian military forces, after showing signs of wealth on social media. Sergei Markov, who is known for maintaining ties with Azerbaijan’s political elites, is said to have fallen out of favor after relations between Moscow and Baku deteriorated drastically.
However, beyond these isolated incidents, analysts detect a deeper fracture, described by Ekaterina Schulmann as an internal conflict, a dispute between two blocs: the “loyalists”, veteran propagandists linked to the Ministry of Defense and the Kremlin; and the “militarists” or “Z bloggers”, a popular movement of ultranationalism and pro-war fervor.
This last group, made up of hundreds of bloggers and volunteers, emerged in 2022, when the Russian army revealed serious logistical flaws. They raised funds, purchased drones and equipment, and brought supplies to the front lines. Its growing autonomy ended up arousing distrust on the part of Moscow, which supported attacks on the group.
“Autocracies fear any form of civil mobilization”, explains the political scientist. “Even a pro-war movement can be seen as a threat.” The Kremlin had previously repressed voices from the same camp, such as the far-right commentator, who was arrested in 2024.
The dispute over money also became a factor of tension. “Ultimately, it is a battle for resources”, observes researcher Ivan Philippov, who explains that Vladimir Solovyov, propagandist and central figure among the “loyalists”, led the offensive against independent bloggers and volunteers, allegedly angered by the fact that many managed to raise more funds than their own state institution.
It is “curious to see how those who never opposed the arrest of liberals suddenly discover that justice in Russia is selective, literally anyone can be arrested for no reason”, commented Ivan Philippov, recalling the echo of the Stalinist purges that also affected his most faithful followers.
“The Russian repressive apparatus must continue to work. The machine needs to feed itself”, said Ekaterina Schulmann. For the Russian political scientist, this is just the beginning and more arrests should follow – with the opposition silenced or exiled, the regime needs new targets.
