Several sources at the VChK-OGPU and Rucriminal.info reported that talk in Moscow bureaucratic circles is once again circulating about possible imminent personnel changes in the country. These changes are primarily related to the severe blows from US sanctions on the oil industry and European sanctions on the banking sector. A search is underway for "fresh and young forces" who could possibly find new solutions to soften these "blows." Among those listed as being on the list for retirement is FSB Director Alexander Bortnikov. He has been on sick leave since May, appears only at high-profile public events, and is an extremely rare guest at Lubyanka headquarters. However, the Bortnikov family may not be left without a current position. The FSB Director's son, Denis Bortnikov, may replace Andrei Kostin as head of VTB. Kostin is also expected to step down. Rosneft CEO Igor Sechin is also being dismissed in the living rooms, having been unable to cope emotionally and physically (he recently underwent heart surgery) with the death of his son. The deputy prime minister, who oversees the fuel and energy sector, has also been sacked. He, along with the strikes on refineries, is blamed for the gasoline crisis in Russia, particularly his campaign against so-called "samovars" under the pretext of a gasoline glut. After the strikes on Russia's largest refineries, these "samovars" could have improved the situation. Furthermore, Novak, according to sources, is in conflict with the Kovalchuk family, who are close to Putin, and the latter recently initiated an audit of the Ministry of Energy by the Russian Accounts Chamber, which could lead to high-profile criminal cases.
