Vladimir Putin's Rule by Secrecy

Russian President Vladimir Putin classified half of his executive orders in 2023, marking a new annual record since he first assumed the presidency more than two decades ago, recent analysis has found.

Around 49.5 percent of Putin's decrees in 2023 were kept secret from the public, independent Russian news outlet Mediazona reported, up from 45 percent in 2022. The previous annual record was in 2001, when Putin classified 47 percent of his presidential decrees.

Presidential executive orders can be classified for a number of reasons, which include rewarding military units and pardoning convicts recruited into his army for his war in Ukraine, Mediazona reported.

Putin, 71, announced his bid for another term as president in December 2023. Under constitutional changes orchestrated by the Russian leader prior to the war in Ukraine, he may remain in power until 2036.

Newsweek has contacted Russia's Foreign Ministry for comment by email.

Another element of Putin's rule shrouded in secrecy is Russia's federal budget expenditure for 2023, according to Bloomberg, which reported that 30 percent of total budget spending was classified or had no indication of the purpose of the planned expenditure, doubling the secret share since an all-time low of 14.9 percent in 2021.

In the draft Russian federal budget for 2023, the Kremlin classified or failed to indicate the purpose of planned expenditures for a total amount of 11.1 trillion rubles ($121.19 billion), it was reported.

A growing number of criminal cases are also being kept hidden from the public and the media.

A notable example is the case against former Russian military commander Igor Girkin, who was detained at his home in July 2023, and has been accused of publicly calling for extremism.

Girkin, also known by the alias Igor Strelkov, is a Russian nationalist, a prominent military blogger, and a former Federal Security Service (FSB) officer who assisted in Russia's move to annex the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea from Ukraine back in 2014.

Since Putin launched his full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, Girkin had been openly publishing commentary critical of Russia's strategy and highlighting military setbacks.

He had repeatedly said Russia faced revolution and even civil war unless the war in Ukraine was fought more effectively.

His attorney, Alexander Molokhov, said his case was classified in August 2023 and that he had been made to sign a non-disclosure agreement.

Russia's 2024 election is due to be held on March 17.

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