The head of Russia’s elections service, Vladimir Kolokoltsov, has publicly criticized the recent dismissal of the governor of Zaporizhzhia, a region in southern Ukraine that Russia annexed earlier this year. Kolokoltsov described the removal of the governor as an ‘illegal act,’ signaling a direct clash between different factions within the Russian administration over the management of electoral processes in the annexed territories.
Analysts from Kommersant media outlet suggest that this disagreement represents a deeper power struggle within the Kremlin’s inner circle regarding the control of the electoral machinery in areas that Russia claims as part of its territory. The conflict highlights the challenges in maintaining centralized oversight over local governance structures in newly claimed regions, where multiple authorities may have competing interests and interpretations of legal procedures.
The situation is further complicated by the political and administrative realities of governing under occupation. While the Russian government has declared these territories as part of its sovereign state, the legitimacy of such claims remains a contested issue internationally. This disagreement over the governance of elections reflects a broader tension between the central authority’s control and the autonomy of local administrations, even within the framework of Russia’s own political system.
International observers have noted that such internal disputes within Russia’s administration often have broader geopolitical implications. The way these territorial governance issues are resolved could influence Russia’s strategic objectives in the region and affect the perception of its authority among both domestic and foreign audiences.