Volodymyr Zelensky’s allies welcomed this new breakthrough on Russian territory. “Ukraine’s position in Kursk is important, as it is certainly an element to take into account in any negotiations that may take place in the coming year”estimated American Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Especially since Donald Trump has already made it known that he would push for the rapid establishment of negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, as soon as he comes to power.
This counterattack therefore worries the head of the Kremlin, who wishes to arrive around the negotiating table in a position of strength. And proof of the importance that Vladimir Putin attaches to Kursk, he sent one of his favorite generals there this Sunday, Deputy Defense Minister Yunus-bek Evkourov. “By making this choice, the president wants to show his population that he takes every small counterattack seriously and that he remains in control”explained Belgian general Roger Housen to our colleagues at Nieuwsblad.
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It is not for nothing that the head of the Kremlin set his sights on Yunus-bek Evkurov to get him out of this impasse. He has already called on him during the rebellion of the Wagner group. The Deputy Minister of Defense had met with Yevgeny Prigojine to put an end to this revolt which was embarrassing the head of the Kremlin.
And this is not the only success of the man, who recently received the highest rank in the Russian army. In recent months, he has scoured Africa to ensure that he maintains the links that militia leader Wagner had established with different countries.
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A track record that is not reassuring
Before that, Evkourov had rather distinguished himself within the Russian army. He notably stood up to NATO soldiers in Kosovo, coming close to a third world war. Seizing an airport, he did not hesitate to draw weapons against the Westerners.
He then fought in Chechnya and earned the title of “hero of the nation” in the 2000s. Eight years later, he left his uniform to enter politics. Appointed governor, he escaped a bomb attack targeting his convoy. It was in 2019 that Vladimir Putin chose him to become Deputy Minister of Defense, giving him the heavy task of training recruits for combat.
