Putin to lose key ally as head of Russian bank turns her back on him for tanking economy

dailystar.co.uk:

Vladimir Putin has seen one of his top officials look to turn their back on him as the head of a Russian bank has tried to resign — twice.Elvira Nabiullina, who is a highly-respected Yale-educated economist, looks set to leave her post as head of the Russian Central Bank.

Ms Nabiullina, 58, claims she stood up to the Russian president after he sent his troops into Ukraine last month. According to sources, she has twice tried to hand in her resignation to Putin but the leader has refused to accept it.Reports have emerged of Ms Nabiullina telling Putin that his invasion of Ukraine has plunged the Russian economy into a “sewer”.She reportedly told him: “I am an expert in a completely different field.”The loss of Ms Nabiullina expertise to continue to post a costly blow to Putin and continue a deepening crisis of the Russian economy.Russia is reportedly in a financial crisis due to sanctions and the invasion causing the rouble to plunge, as well as the massive loss of international financial links.

The reports come as The Kremlin said on Thursday that many people in Russia were showing themselves to be "traitors" and pointed to those who were resigning from their jobs and leaving the country.Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov made the comments a day after Putin delivered his own stark warning to Russian "traitors".Peskov told reporters on a conference call: "In such difficult times...many people show their true colours.

Very many people are showing themselves, as we say in Russian, to be traitors." To stay up to date with all the latest news, make sure you sign up to one of our newsletters here. He was also asked about Putin's remark that Russia would undergo a natural and necessary "self-cleansing".Peskov said: "They.