Thiswassomeoneclosetohimwhohehadtrusted, wasreallyseenas a politicalally.
彼が信頼し、政治的な味方とみなしていた身近な人物だ。
Formorethan 20 years, Putinhasconstructed a seeminglyimpenetrablewallofsecretpolice, intelligenceagenciesandmilitarygroupsaroundhimselfandusedittoeliminateanyonewhochallengedhispower.