The expert, Dr. Valery Solovey, added that this would be a showcase dismissal in order to calm the Russians before the early parliamentary elections. According to Solovey, the plans of this kind have long existed in the Kremlin.
Several top-rank officials might be fired at the end of this summer. In particular, the likeliest targets are Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin and Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin. Valery Solovey, a political scientist and doctor of historical sciences, voiced his opinion in an interview with Glavtema.
He added that the dismissals will be demonstrative in order to calm the Russians before the early parliamentary elections. According to Solovey, the plans of this kind have long existed in the Kremlin.
“First, I would like to say that there is a persistent misgiving about something bad being afoot,” said Solovey. “However, it is unclear what exactly it might be.
“Perhaps this will be due to the fact that at the end of August, the resignation of Mikhail Mishustin and Sergei Sobyanin is expected. The duties of the Prime Minister will be performed by Andrey Belousov.
“According to my data, these are the current plans of the country's political elite. We do not know what will happen in the middle of summer. The Prime Minister is usually dismissed for something. For example, as I said earlier, the ruble is expected to devalue. So, we send the ruble to the doldrums, blame the Prime Minister and dismiss him. Chances are Elvira Nabiullina, the head of the Central Bank of Russia, will retire together with him. In fact, she is already knows that she is about to be fired.
“There is another reason. An early parliamentary elections is expected in December. So, they should be announced in August. Therefore, it is necessary to meet people’s needs and make high-profile dismissals. I can tell you for sure that this is what is really being discussed. And not just discussed, but prepared as well.”