Evidence

Multiple independent outlets corroborate the core claim. The Moscow Times (citing Fontanka), Meduza (citing Kommersant), UA.News, and Adam A. Blanco's Russia Daily Brief all report that Sergei Bochkarev, head of the Prosecutor General's Office's civil litigation department who oversaw the seizures of Domodedovo Airport, Makfa and YUGK, was dismissed by Prosecutor General Alexander Gutsan in late July 2026 over concerns about undervalued asset resales, and was then quietly reinstated around mid-to-late August 2026. The Moscow Times specifically states that 'President Vladimir Putin reportedly intervened directly to restore Bochkarev to his position, issuing an executive order that nullified Gutsan's dismissal order,' and notes that 'Officials have not publicly commented' on the reports, consistent with the claim that no public record exists of either move. UA.News similarly states that 'Vladimir Putin personally overturned the decision to dismiss him.' These reports trace back to sourcing from Kommersant (dismissal) and Fontanka (reinstatement), plus Telegram channels. I found no dedicated fact-check from Reuters, AFP, Bellingcat, or EUvsDisinfo specifically examining this claim, likely because it is recent (mid-to-late August 2026) reporting on internal Russian bureaucratic personnel matters rather than a viral image/video claim.