Silicon Curtain

Putin is Turning on his Own as Terror Stalks Regime 'Loyalists'

Jan 18, 2026
The Kremlin is now purging its own loyalists as paranoia grips the regime. Recent suspicious deaths among elite officials highlight the extreme measures taken against those who've lost favor. The discussion delves into the history of authoritarian purges, drawing parallels to Stalin and Hitler. War is exacerbating elite competition, leading to corruption and dangerous power dynamics. As the regime tightens its grip, loyalists realize they can easily be sacrificed, making survival a perilous gamble in Putin's Russia.
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INSIGHT

Diplomatic Death Signals Hidden Intelligence Links

  • The death of Anton Panov in Cyprus highlights how Russian diplomatic covers can mask intelligence roles and block local investigations.
  • Meduza and Cypriot outlets report restricted access and alleged SVR/FSB ties that deepen suspicions about Kremlin internal purges.
ANECDOTE

Former Official's Death Joins A Pattern

  • Andrei Sklyar, a former deputy labour minister, was found dead and official outlets suggested a likely self-inflicted death.
  • Speaker 0 frames this as part of a recurring pattern of suspicious elite deaths in Russia's power ecosystem.
INSIGHT

Loyalists Can Become Targets Too

  • The Kremlin's internal purges target not just enemies but loyal pro-war figures when they become inconvenient.
  • Reuters, The Guardian and Carnegie document arrests, 'foreign agent' labels, and repression of pro-war bloggers.
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