The Kremlin Wars Revisited, Part 2: The Fight for the Interior Ministry

Vladislav Surkov, head of one of Russia's two most powerful political clans and deputy chief of staff to President Dmitri Medvedev, reportedly has plans for a major overhaul of the Russian Interior Ministry. The ministry is one of the cornerstones of power for Igor Sechin, the deputy prime minister and Surkov's rival. Surkov's plans for the ministry are meant to render Sechin's allies in the ministry politically impotent — but the plans have yet to be approved by Russia's primary decision-maker, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. Editor's Note: This piece is part of STRATFOR's ongoing coverage of the latest developments in the power struggle within the Kremlin.