What are they preparing us for? A military governor? Eternal war?”

Forwarded From Govorit NeMoskva

“What are they preparing us for? A military governor? Eternal war?”

The military past of the new acting governor of Belgorod Oblast, Alexander Shuvayev, was supposed to become his main advantage in the election campaign. A major general, Hero of Russia, and participant in the war in Ukraine. In the frame — with a weapon and in protective gear. But it seems this image has a different effect on people: even those who supported the war do not intend to vote for a military man.

Shuvayev replaced Vyacheslav Gladkov, to whom many Belgorod residents had grown attached over the years of war. After his resignation, people wrote that they had been “orphaned,” asked for the governor to be brought back, and asked: “What are they preparing us for? A military governor? Eternal war?”

The new head shoots down drones on camera, walks around with a pistol on his belt, and calls Belgorod Oblast “Moscow’s first defensive line.” “So are we guarding Moscow? Everything for the good of the capital, not the country?” one resident of the region fumed in comments on Shuvayev’s page.

The acting governor promised to restore street lighting and internet access, but did not fulfill the promises, denies problems with the internet, and defends himself from negativity with bots that leave numerous positive comments under his posts.

“We already have war all around us, why do we need a military governor too?” wonders 62-year-old Belgorod resident Lyudmila, who supported the invasion of Ukraine in 2022. For her, as for the outlet’s other interlocutors, having a major general at the head of the region is not a promise of security, but a sign that normal peaceful life will not return for a long time yet.

“Windbag,” “martinet,” “butcher” — these are the descriptions locals have already given Shuvayev. Pole Zreniya tells his story.

nemoskva\recommends

Pole Zreniya

Symbol of Eternal War - Pole Zreniya

Why even supporters of the war do not accept the new governor of Belgorod Oblast — Major General and Hero of Russia Alexander Shuvayev