Putin appoints Khinshtein amid Kursk region leadership shakeup
Alexander Khinshtein has been appointed by Vladimir Putin as the new governor of the Kursk region. "After the liberation of the Kursk region, organising support for the community is necessary," said the Russian leader. "Everything must be done to ensure the residents of Kursk feel part of the country," declared Khinshtein.
On Thursday, Vladimir Putin accepted the resignation of the governor of the Kursk region, Alexei Smirnov, and appointed the acting head of the region, State Duma deputy Alexander Khinshtein. This is the second change of governor for the Kursk region this year.
New governor of the Kursk region
During a meeting with Alexander Khinshtein, Vladimir Putin noted that his experience, particularly as an advisor to the director of the National Guard from 2016 to 2018, makes him a suitable candidate for crisis management in the challenging situation facing the Kursk region.
The leader emphasised that the region must tackle several priority issues, including the reconstruction of the housing and communal sector, boosting the economy, and providing assistance to residents. "And most importantly, efforts must be made to assist people who need it, both now and in the near future," Putin told Khinshtein.
"Everything must be done to ensure the residents of Kursk feel part of the country," replied Khinshtein.
Khinshtein's appointment followed the resignation of Aleksei Smirnov, who took office as governor on 16 September. His predecessor, Roman Starovoit, moved to a role in the federal government in May, taking the position of Minister of Transport. Smirnov served as acting governor from May to September.
Ukrainians aim to maintain control of the Kursk region until Trump's inauguration
Currently, part of the Kursk region is under the control of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Since 6 August, Ukrainian troops have launched an offensive in this area, and according to Kyiv, in the first week of fighting, they occupied an area of 1,300 square kilometres and about 100 towns. The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) estimates this area to be slightly smaller – about 1,160 square kilometres.
Since September, Russian forces have actively tried to reclaim the lost territories, but according to data at the end of November, about 800 square kilometres remained under the control of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, as previously reported by the Ukrainian General Staff. According to Ukrainian intelligence, about 59,000 Russian soldiers are attempting to retake the region. President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that creating a "buffer zone" in the Kursk region is a strategic goal of their operations, and Ukrainian troops continue to hold the positions they have gained.
Amidst the military actions, dissatisfaction among Kursk region residents has increased. In November, residents of the village of Olgovka appealed to Putin with complaints about difficulties following evacuation and called for an end to the war.
Furthermore, illegal protests took place in the city of Sudzha and other affected areas, where residents expressed their dissatisfaction with high rental costs and the lack of certificates for new housing.
On 3 December, BBC News, citing sources, reported that the Ukrainian Armed Forces had been ordered to maintain the captured territory until the end of January, when the newly elected President Donald Trump is set to take power in the United States. "The main task facing us is to hold the maximum territory until Trump’s inauguration and the start of negotiations. In order to exchange it for something later. No-one knows what," said a soldier.
On 11 November, Smirnov stated that the costs of rebuilding the Kursk region might exceed 700 billion roubles (approximately £5.4 billion). For comparison, the region's budget for 2024 was approved with expenditures at 88.7 billion roubles (£689 million) and revenues at 83.2 billion (£646 million), resulting in a deficit of 5.5 billion (£43 million).
