Vladislav Surkov, former advisor to Putin, has fled Russia due to investigations related to the management of funds.

Vladislav Surkov, the former personal assistant to Vladimir Putin and architect of the "Russian World" concept, has urgently left the Russian Federation due to official investigations regarding the management of funds allocated for the occupation of separatist regions in Ukraine between 2014 and 2020. Surkov, considered an influential Kremlin strategist, chose to seek refuge in a location that would offer him protection against a possible international arrest warrant. It is speculated that he may be in the United Arab Emirates or in a country in Latin America that does not have extradition treaties with Russia. Russian investigators are looking into how the large sums allocated for supporting the occupied areas were spent, and Surkov's departure coincides with purges within the Russian elite responsible for the ideology of the current conflict. Nicknamed 'Cardinal Gray', Surkov was the mind behind Russia's current political system and played a crucial role in coordinating foreign policy towards Ukraine. Although his influence has waned since 2020, he now faces direct threats, as he may be included on the list of individuals wanted by Russian authorities. Surkov has already been sanctioned by the US and the European Union, having his assets frozen and facing travel bans in the West.