The change is happening despite the continuing decline in the ethnic Russian population and thus the growing proportion of minorities. According to the official 2021 Russian census, only about 72% percent of the population is ethnic Russian — six million fewer than in 2010. His successors in the Kremlin redoubled these efforts by filling the ranks of the security services with Communist Party appointees. Apparently, the FSB colonel was not alone in facing such treatment. And yet, by russifying the leadership of his security services, Putin may be only weakening his most important tool of control.