After ambitious Russian officials initially saw the invasion of Ukraine as an opportunity for career advancement, the situation is now changing. As the “Moscow Times“ reports, many had hoped to win Putin’s recognition through involvement in the Russian-occupied territories. But given Russia’s problems in Ukraine, the chances of a successful career in the occupied regions are now slim.

Example Dmitri Rogozin

Dmitry Rogozin, a former deputy prime minister and head of the space company Roscosmos, had hoped to receive a promotion through his role in Ukraine. According to the Moscow Times, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin publicly promised such a promotion to Rogozin. But the Russian military campaign in Ukraine did not go as planned, and Rogozin ended up in political isolation in the Federation Council.

Many careers on hold

Sergei Sokol, a member of the ruling United Russia party, suffered a similar fate. As the Moscow Times reports, Sokol withdrew from a gubernatorial race in Khakassia after his time in military service in Ukraine did not provide the career advantage he had hoped for.

There are numerous examples of civil servants who sought career advantages in Ukraine and instead suffered political setbacks. Some, like former Krasnodar mayor Andrei Alexeyenko, ended up in less prestigious roles in occupied regions of Ukraine.

Difficulties for Russia’s officials

According to Moscow Times, there are several reasons for these developments. On the one hand, Russian troops could not occupy all planned areas in Ukraine. On the other hand, the Kremlin favored locals for official positions in occupied regions, which reduced the number of prestigious positions for Russian officials. The ongoing military challenges in Ukraine and Putin’s changing interest in various projects also played a role.

Putin is losing interest

The Moscow Times points out that Putin is known for losing interest in his pet projects. Examples include the All-Russian Popular Front (ONF) organization and Crimea, which was annexed in 2014. Former key projects are now less politically relevant.

Those working in the occupied territories are no longer seen as heroes, but rather as ordinary bureaucrats. Overall, according to the Moscow Times, the hope of many civil servants to advance their careers through an engagement in Ukraine has turned out to be a fallacy.