The kremlin Has Sent a General with No Experience to Run a Frontline Region

belgorod region has a new leader – and this choice highlights the weakness of the kremlin’s pool of candidates. aleksandr shuvayev– a general whom his subordinates have already nicknamed “a boot with no experience” – has been appointed a governor of the region. According to sources familiar with the appointment process, this was a choice made out of necessity, as all other candidates flatly refused the post in the high-risk region.

shuvayev’s track record spans the North Caucasus, Georgia, Syria, and Ukraine, where he commanded units that committed war crimes. In particular, he led the 1st motorized rifle brigade during the capture of Avdiivka. It is this very unit that is accused of executing Ukrainian prisoners of war. Now this resume officially qualifies him to govern a region with a population of one million.

He has no experience in civilian administration whatsoever – instead, he has serious problems with alcohol abuse, which, according to sources, is why the resignation of his predecessor, vyacheslav gladkov, was delayed.

The region that shuvayev will now have to manage is in a state of controlled decline. Investments are decreasing, the construction sector is stagnating, the labor market is shrinking, and the budget is running a deficit. Please, be reminded that in 2025, the “hole” in belgorod region’s treasury amounted to 14 billion rubles, and the regional authorities drafted the 2026 budget with a deficit of 17.4 billion rubles. 60,000 to 70,000 people – about 5% of the permanent population – have already left the region.

On paper, the new governor faces ambitious challenges: ensuring public safety, restoring public utilities, transportation, and energy infrastructure, and supporting victims and veterans. A separate priority is demographics, as putin demands an increase in the birth rate. In reality, shuvayev will bring war into every home in the region, where blackouts, shelling, and population flight have already become the norm.

The governor’s first practical decision set clear priorities. The authorities have stopped paying compensation to residents whose cars were damaged by drone and missile strikes. The official explanation is a lack of funds. No alternative measures to help owners of the affected car are planned.

Earlier, “frontline” allowances (≈ EUR 120 per month) were canceled for public sector employees. The authorities have also repeatedly postponed compensation payments for housing rentals for refugees.

For those who haven’t left yet, this seems to be just the beginning.