Ruslan Alexandrov, a participant in the war in Ukraine, was appointed as the head of the Beryozovsky District in the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug. The results of the elections were reported by the 'Neft' media outlet on April 24th.
The Beryozovsky District Council voted for Ruslan Alexandrov on April 24th. Alexandrov fought in Ukraine as a volunteer under the callsign 'Wolf.'
In interviews with journalists, he mentioned that he was vacationing in Turkey when the mobilization was declared in 2022. After signing a military contract, he spent two months on the front lines. Alexandrov claimed that 'only 100 meters of forest separated him from the enemy.' Later, he was wounded and returned to the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug, where he served at a selection office for contracted military service.
The 'Floor 5' Telegram channel, often associated with the KhMAO government, wrote that Ruslan Alexandrov 'demonstrated in practice his ability to protect and promote state interests.' He was interviewed by the region’s head, Natalia Komarova, and entrusted with 'key tasks to develop the district in line with the region’s social and economic strategy.'
The previous district head resigned after publicly admitting to driving under the influence of alcohol.
In February, Vladimir Putin referred to participants of the war in Ukraine as a 'new elite' who would have an opportunity to run regions in the future. Former soldiers would be retrained to take leading governing positions. Political analyst Andrey Kolesnikov believes that this 'elite' will be ruthless, loyal to the authorities, and dangerous to ordinary citizens.
