Kremlin pushes out overseer of all Russian elections, this is what security forces want

Alexander Kharichev, a close associate of the head of the Kremlin's political bloc, Sergei Kiriyenko, who oversaw all Russian elections and was supposed to be in charge of the 2024 presidential campaign, will soon resign.

Source: Meduza, the Russian Latvia-based media outlet, referring three sources close to the Kremlin

Details: Two sources of the media outlet said that the official would leave his post allegedly "for health reasons", which "need to be improved after several years of nervous work".

But the third source added that high-ranking security officials insist on Kharichev's resignation, as they are dissatisfied with the way the so-called "referendums" on the annexation of Ukrainian territories were held.

He explained that, in particular, the security forces were "struck by the scale of expenses" for this "pseudo-vote".

The media outlet notes that it is not officially known how much the Kremlin spent on organising "referendums".

According to Meduza's sources, Boris Rapoport, the current deputy of Kharichev, and Andrei Polosin, Director of the Department for Interaction with Regions of Rosatom (Kharichev himself held this position at Rosatom, and Polosin was his deputy at that time), are both possible successors.

The sources of the media outlet said that the appointment of Polisin is now considered most likely.

If appointed, Polosin will become the direct overseer of the 2024 presidential campaign.

For reference: Sham referendums, for which Kharichev's office was responsible, among others, were repeatedly postponed due to the defeat of the Russian army in the contact line. They still took place in late September, but in early November, the Russian military was forced to retreat from occupied Kherson.

According to Meduza, Alexander Kharichev is one of the most experienced associates of Sergei Kiriyenko. Back in the early noughties, he worked as the Presidential Envoy to the Volga Federal District, which was then headed by Kiriyenko. Then Kharichev went to work in the presidential administration of Russia, where he became deputy head of the presidential office for domestic policy.

He worked in the presidential office until 2009 and then spent four years in the Renova company's structures. After that, he started working with Kiriyenko again, this time at the state corporation Rosatom, which he headed in the mid-2010s. At Rosatom, Kharichev was responsible for the political component; employees of his department conducted election campaigns of candidates loyal to Rosatom in the cities where the corporation's enterprises are located.

In 2016, Kiriyenko went to work in the Kremlin, and Kharichev soon joined him. In recent years, it was Kharichev's employees who were engaged in conducting election campaigns for candidates from the authorities (of various levels). In particular, Kharichev oversaw the 2018 presidential election, voting on amendments to the Constitution in 2020 (which "reset" Putin's presidential terms), and the 2021 Duma elections.

In addition, Kharichev was personally involved in "problematic" gubernatorial campaigns.

Meduza notes that under Kharichev, the election results necessary for the Kremlin were ensured not only by direct falsifications at polling stations and voting by state employees but also by "corporate mobilisation".

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