Boris Yeltsin's son-in-law quits role as advisor to Vladimir Putin

He did not play a major role in decision-making as a Putin advisor, but he represented one of the few remaining links in Putin's administration to Yeltsin's rule.

 Russian President Boris Yeltsin (L) listens to his chief-of-staff Valentin Yumashev (photo credit: VIA REUTERS)
Russian President Boris Yeltsin (L) listens to his chief-of-staff Valentin Yumashev
(photo credit: VIA REUTERS)

Valentin Yumashev, the son-in-law of former Russian leader Boris Yeltsin, quit his role as an unpaid advisor to President Vladimir Putin last month, two people familiar with Yumashev's thinking told Reuters.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Yumashev did not respond to a request for comment that Reuters sent to him.

One of the people, Lyudmila Telen, first deputy executive director of the Boris Yeltsin Presidential Centre, a foundation where Yumashev is a member of the board of trustees, told Reuters Yumashev had given up his Kremlin advisor role in April.

"It was his initiative"

Lyudmila Telen on Valentin Yumashev quitting Kremlin role

The other person familiar with Yumashev's thinking, who spoke on condition of anonymity, also said that Yumashev in April ceased to be a presidential advisor.

 Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council involving the Eurasian Economic Union's (EAEU) heads of states via a video link in Moscow, Russia May 27, 2022. (credit: Sputnik/Kremlin via REUTERS)
Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council involving the Eurasian Economic Union's (EAEU) heads of states via a video link in Moscow, Russia May 27, 2022. (credit: Sputnik/Kremlin via REUTERS)

Under Yeltsin, who was Russian president from 1991 to 1999, Yumashev served as a Kremlin advisor and later as head of the presidential administration. He is married to Yeltsin's daughter, Tatyana.

He did not play a major role in decision-making as a Putin advisor, but he represented one of the few remaining links in Putin's administration to Yeltsin's rule, a period of liberal reforms and an opening-up of Russia towards the West.