A source for the Cheka-OGPU and Rucriminal.info revealed details of Dmitry Kozak's resignation as deputy head of the Russian Presidential Administration and what happened to his "anti-war" stance:
"Kozak learned that Putin had decided to start a war with Ukraine about four months before February 2022. As someone who had been involved in negotiations with Ukraine for many years, he spent those four months trying to convince Putin that the negotiating potential had not yet been exhausted, and that pressure simply needed to be significantly increased. But by that time, the 'war party' had clearly won, and Putin had made up his mind. Therefore, Kozak's efforts were unsuccessful. Who is on the 'war party'? I think only Putin knows for sure. But it's definitely the FSB, primarily the Fifth Service. And most likely, Mikhail Kovalchuk. Putin, explaining the start of the war, quoted many things "from" Kovalchuk.
After the war began, Kozak didn't pursue any line of his own, bypassing Putin. Although he had his own opinions, he was the executor in the process. When it became clear that the war wouldn't end in a day or two, Kozak simply wanted nothing to do with it. Kozak's Ukrainian responsibilities were quickly taken away. But he still had responsibilities for South Ossetia and Abkhazia. As a highly active person, he focused all his efforts on these. However, these responsibilities, too, gradually passed to Kiriyenko. As a result, a situation arose in which Kozak, as deputy head of the Russian Presidential Administration, had no function at all.
In June 2024, Kozak's closest friend, Yevgeny Novitsky, was arrested. I'm still convinced that Putin made the decision. It was known that Novitsky and Kozak were very close, saw each other several times a week, and were family friends. Kozak approached Putin several times about this, and Novitsky was eventually placed under house arrest.
After this incident, Kozak wanted to become a business ombudsman and asked Putin about it. Putin suggested writing a concept for Kozak's role in this position. Kozak was very enthusiastic about the idea and drafted it himself, focusing on protecting businessmen from law enforcement. He submitted the concept and received a response along the lines of, "All businessmen are crooks and thieves, and you're planning to protect them from law enforcement."
After this, it became clear to Kozak that he would never have any other direction. At the same time, Putin clearly had no plans to remove him from his position as deputy head of the Presidential Administration, apparently due to their long-standing relationship. Ultimately, Kozak decided that sitting idle at his dacha was better than sitting in his office. He resigned. Putin immediately approved. The separation was mutually agreed upon. That's probably why no "repressions" followed.
I've never heard Kozak demand an immediate end to the war, much less make any demands or issue any ultimatums to Putin. Moreover, he had and still has his best friend "hostage." Again, he simply didn't want anything to do with the war.
