President Vladimir Putin appointed his aide and former bodyguard Alexei Dyumin to oversee Russia’s military response to the Ukrainian offensive in the Kursk region, a federal lawmaker said Tuesday, an apparent confirmation of rumors circulated earlier by Russian military bloggers.
“Indeed, Alexei Gennadyevich Dyumin was summoned yesterday and tasked with supervising the counterterrorist operation,” State Duma lawmaker Nikolai Ivanov, whose district is in the Kursk region, told the RTVI broadcaster.
Dyumin was the only non-cabinet member not connected with the military or security services who was present at a televised meeting with Putin on Monday. During that meeting, which was focused on the fighting in the Kursk region, the Kremlin leader ordered the military to “dislodge” Ukraine’s forces from Russian territory.
Later, an anonymous Telegram channel claiming insider knowledge claimed that Putin directed Dyumin to “coordinate all agencies currently operating in the Kursk region.”
Moscow launched counterterrorism operations in the border regions of Kursk, Bryansk and Belgorod on Friday, granting the military sweeping emergency powers.
The pro-Kremlin Telegram channel Politsatirka noted that Dyumin’s military experience, “especially since the annexation of Crimea,” could be crucial in coordinating defense efforts.
Rybar, a prominent pro-war channel run by a former Defense Ministry spokesman, interpreted Dyumin’s alleged appointment as a sign of Putin’s dissatisfaction with military and security leaders.
“Alexei Dyumin’s appointment as a senior official with comprehensive powers to address the operational crisis in the Kursk region indicates that the security forces were unable to resolve coordination issues independently, without Moscow’s intervention,” Rybar wrote Tuesday.
“Dyumin’s role is to take full control of the situation, ending superficial efforts and beginning to address the crisis directly,” Rybar added.
The independent investigative outlet Agentstvo reported Tuesday that several military bloggers have since revised or deleted posts about Dyumin’s alleged appointment.
It was not possible to verify claims about the alleged appointment, and there was no immediate comment from the Kremlin.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia’s Prosecutor General’s Office has designated The Moscow Times as an “undesirable” organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a “foreign agent.”
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work “discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership.” We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It’s quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you’re defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.
×
Remind me next month
Thank you! Your reminder is set.
