Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov and Bryansk Governor Alexander Bogomaz resigned at their personal request, the Kremlin announced on 13/5. These two border regions have been frequently targeted by Ukraine in retaliation during the conflict with Russia, which has lasted more than 4 years.

Russian media reported that President Vladimir Putin appointed Alexander Shuvaev, an army general who served in the Ukraine operation, and Yegor Kovalchuk, an expert in banking, legal, and administrative fields, as the successors to Gladkov and Bogomaz.

Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on 13/5. Photo: AFP

Gladkov, 57, had led Belgorod since 2021. Rumors of his potential resignation emerged in early April. The Vedomosti newspaper suggested the reasons included health issues and declining support for the Belgorod administration. Gladkov had taken a leave of absence about a month prior.

Bogomaz, 65, was appointed acting governor of Bryansk by President Putin in 2014. He officially took office after winning the election in 2015.

Dmitry Orlov, head of the Russian Political and Economic Communications Agency, told Izvestia that Gladkov and Bogomaz were both in the "yellow zone," meaning they generally fulfilled their assigned duties.

However, Orlov suggested that Bogomaz had fallen into a state of stagnant management, failing to achieve significant breakthroughs or accomplishments, while Gladkov had numerous disagreements with federal officials and was embroiled in a corruption scandal involving close associates.