Controversial Russian General Lapin Landed A "Comfortable Position"

• 28.09.2026, 14:10

A military officer who failed to defend the Kursk region has been appointed deputy prime minister of Tatarstan.

The former commander of the “Center” and “North” military groups, Russian Colonel General Alexander Lapin, who became notorious for major military failures during the war with Ukraine, will become Deputy Prime Minister of Tatarstan. This was announced by the head of the republic, Rustam Minnikhanov, during his annual address to the State Council. He specified that Lapin will oversee a new regional government department responsible for supporting participants in the “special military operation” and their families, according to The Moscow Times.

Lapin served in the Russian Armed Forces until September 2025, when he was dismissed. In 2022, the general headed the Central Military District and the “Center” group, which participated in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine from the north. In September of that year, as a result of a Ukrainian counteroffensive, the group led by Lapin was driven out of the Kharkiv region. In 2024, the general was responsible for the defense of the Kursk region, part of which fell under the control of the Ukrainian Armed Forces during an offensive. Russian troops managed to retake the territory only at the end of April 2025—after nine months of heavy fighting and with the assistance of North Korean units.

Also, as head of the “North” military group, Lapin launched an offensive in the Kharkiv region in May 2024, which failed to achieve the objectives stated by the Russian command. Lapin was sharply criticized, in particular by Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, who called him “a good-for-nothing who is being protected by high-ranking officials in the General Staff.” Kadyrov also demanded that the general be demoted to the rank of private following the Russian troops’ retreat from Lyman.

Among other things, while serving as commander of the Central Military District, Lapin personally awarded his son Denis, commander of the 1st Guards Tank Regiment, which participated in the failed offensive on Chernihiv and Sumy. A report on the awarding of military personnel, including Lapin’s son, was broadcast by the Russian Ministry of Defense’s television channel “Zvezda.” At the same time, Ukrainian intelligence intercepted communications indicating that the unit had suffered heavy losses.