He specifically avoided criticising Putin himself, assuming that his long personal ties, friendship and deep trust with Putin would leave his family sacrosanct.

He specifically avoided criticising Putin himself, assuming that his long personal ties, friendship and deep trust with Putin would leave his family sacrosanct. His attacks were on underlings. This sort of thing plays out in the corporate world too. That is, a fairly senior OG person who isn't the actual boss has a breakdown or burnout, and takes it out by sending long scathing emails-to-all-staff, complaints to directors, etc, "secure" in the assumption that they're just playing out some long standing internal issues and that things will be put right. Sometimes it doesn't quite work out as hoped, and that person finds to their surprise that their removal is the outcome.