These prominent Russians are leaving their country in protest

These prominent Russians are leaving their country in protest RP ONLINE - 6 hrs ago New York. So far, few powerful Russians have protested the aggressive war in Ukraine. But they do suggest that the Russian elite is not quite as united behind Putin as the Kremlin's propaganda portrays. The resignation of Anatoly Chubais made international headlines. He is the highest-ranking Russian politician to have quit his job and left the country in protest at Vladimir Putin's war of aggression. As Special Representative for Relations with International Organizations, he was in close contact with the President for a long time. He has been known in his home country for almost three decades - he already held important posts under Boris Yeltsin. Other prominent figures have also publicly condemned the invasion of Ukraine and have resigned from positions in state institutions and companies. This could be a sign that the elite in Moscow is quite divided about the war. Just over a week ago, Putin described everyone who opposed his course as “scum and traitors”. They would simply be spat out by Russian society "like a mosquito," he said. But not everyone is intimidated by the aggressive propaganda. This includes these people: Anatoly Chubais On Wednesday, the Kremlin confirmed media reports about the resignation of Chubais, who is considered the architect of the far-reaching privatizations under Yeltsin in the 1990s. The reports, citing anonymous sources, said the 66-year-old had resigned because of the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine. He himself has not yet made a public statement. During Yeltsin's presidency, Chubais is said to have spoken out in favor of bringing Putin into the government, who was still largely unknown at the time. A few years later, after Yeltsin resigned, Putin became his successor. Chubais was Deputy Prime Minister from 1994 to 1996 and First Deputy Prime Minister from 1997 to 1998. The Russian newspaper Kommersant reported on Wednesday that Chubais had been seen in Istanbul. She also published a photo of a man who looked like Chubais standing in front of a Turkish ATM. Since the Russian war of aggression began more than four weeks ago, a number of the country's citizens have fled to Istanbul. Arkady Dvorkovich Arkady Dvorkovich was also one of Russia's deputy prime ministers for a number of years. He is currently President of the International Chess Federation Fide. On March 14, he spoke critically to the US magazine "Mother Jones" about the war against Ukraine. He was then put under heavy pressure by the Kremlin party United Russia. "Wars are the worst thing that can happen in life," said Dvorkovich. And that applies to every war, no matter where. Wars not only kill people. “Wars kill hopes and ambitions. Relationships and connections will be frozen or destroyed, even in this war.” Dvorkovich added that his federation Fide ensures "that there is no official chess activity in Russia or Belarus" and "players are not allowed to represent Russia or Belarus in official or ranked events" until the war is over and Ukrainian chess players too be there. A Russian chess player who publicly spoke out in support of Putin and his invasion has been banned by Fide for six months. Two days after the statements were made public, a leading member of the United Russia party demanded that Dvorkovich be fired from the post of chairman of the state Skolkovo Foundation. The foundation announced last week that Dvorkovich had decided to resign. Lilia Gildeeva By February, Lilia Gildeeva was one of the most recognizable faces of the state-funded NTW television network, which has docilely aired the Kremlin's line for two decades. Shortly after the war of aggression began, she resigned and left the country. She told independent news website The Insider last week that she decided on day one of the invasion to "end it all." "It was an immediate nervous breakdown," Gildeyeva explained. "I couldn't pull myself together for several days. The decision was probably immediately clear. There would be no more work.” The reporting of the Russian state media is strictly controlled by the authorities, and broadcasters receive instructions from government officials, she said.