The Kremlin begins punishing for the failure of the defense of Kursk: former governor detained.

Ukrainian troops have launched an operation in Kursk and captured several settlements. The governor of the Kursk region, Alexei Smirnov, was dismissed due to criticism of his ineffective leadership and replaced by Alexander Khinshtein.

However, Russian law enforcement detained Smirnov and his deputy Alexei Dedov as suspects in the embezzlement of funds intended for the construction of defensive structures on the border of the Kursk region. Experts believe that this is part of a campaign by the Kremlin aimed at holding regional officials accountable for the failure in defense and management during the Armed Forces operation in Kursk.

Smirnov was removed from the position of governor in December 2024 due to ineffective communication with the population and inaction in the field of housing support, rather than corruption.

Recently, the director of the Kursk region Development Corporation, Vladimir Lukin, who was arrested, provided testimony against Smirnov. The Development Corporation ordered the installation of anti-tank concrete pyramids meant to protect border territories.