Russian Central Bank Chief Disappears from Public Eye, Sparks Conspiracy Theories

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov urged journalists not to fuel speculation over the recent absence of Central Bank Governor Elvira Nabiullina from public view.

According to Interfax, Peskov declined to discuss Nabiullina's health in detail and instead wished her a speedy recovery.

"People sometimes get sick. There is nothing unusual about that,” the Kremlin spokesman said, without specifying when the head of the Bank of Russia might return to her duties in public.

Nabiullina Misses Key Economic Events

Nabiullina was unable to attend the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), which took place from June 3 to June 6, and also missed a conference organized by the National Association of Stock Market Participants (NAUFOR) several days later.

Her name disappeared from the SPIEF guest list just one day before her scheduled appearance.

The Central Bank governor was also absent from a meeting chaired by President Vladimir Putin on June 10, where officials discussed inflation and the benchmark interest rate.

Nabiullina had attended all previous meetings of this kind. The only recent exception came on May 5, when Deputy Governor Alexei Zabotkin represented the Central Bank in her place. This time, no representatives of the Bank of Russia attended the meeting.

Central Bank Confirms Ongoing Illness

The Bank of Russia later confirmed that Nabiullina remained on sick leave and therefore could not participate in the NAUFOR conference.

"Elvira Nabiullina will not be able to take part in NAUFOR's "Russian Stock Market' conference on June 9 because she remains on medical leave,” the regulator's press service said in a statement cited by RIA Novosti.

Over the past decade, Nabiullina had missed SPIEF only once before, in 2020, when organizers canceled the forum because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

As a result of her absence this year, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov, Economic Development Minister Maxim Reshetnikov, Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration Maxim Oreshkin and State Duma Budget and Taxes Committee Chairman Andrey Makarov took part in the forum's flagship macroeconomic session.

Questions Follow Death of Senior Adviser

The Central Bank previously explained that Nabiullina missed SPIEF solely because of illness.

"Elvira Sakhipzadovna is on sick leave and therefore could not travel to SPIEF,” the regulator's press service said.

On June 3, the Bank of Russia announced the death of Alexei Mozhin, an adviser to the Central Bank governor.

Mozhin had served as Nabiullina's adviser since December 2024. Before that, he represented Russia at the International Monetary Fund for more than three decades.

The regulator noted that Mozhin had made a significant contribution to advancing initiatives important to Russia on international platforms. However, officials did not indicate whether his death had any connection to Nabiullina's absence from SPIEF.